


Winter Has To Come Before It Blossoms

by lisachan, Tabata



Category: Original Work
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Light BDSM, M/M, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:20:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 30,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24129601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lisachan/pseuds/lisachan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabata/pseuds/Tabata
Summary: Daniel and Ariel both find themselves in Titania's Magic Academy, though their circumstances couldn't be different. Daniel is running away from a very complicated relationship in his past, and he's searching for a new place to call home and something to give him purpose. Ariel, instead, is running after his lost lover and Master, who disappeared overnight leaving nothing behind but a bow with mysterious powers Ariel knows nothing about.Thanks to a series of coincidences that include a very arrogant pegasus and a destructive little pet cerberus, their fates end up entwining, and their paths are linked together, even if none of them knows where they're going to lead them.
Relationships: Ariel/Jules, Daniel/Ariel, Daniel/Beverly





	1. Chapter 0. Alone To Face A Hostile Place

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a series of roleplays we wrote for the [Explorers](https://www.landedifandom.net/sezione/explorers/) challenge @ [landedifandom.net](https://www.landedifandom.net/). It was supposed to be a harmless little series of short scenes, so it surprises literally no one that it turned into a gigantic thing each chapter of which counts around 5k words. Plus, Tab fell for Daniel, so there's no telling what will happen if she follows her heart.  
> Unfortunately, we do not know when and how the story will end, as each chapter we write will follow the storyline and prompts given by the challenge. We hope we can be as consistent as possible and that you can see the end of it sometimes soon!

_[Daniel has been running after a pegasus through the forest the whole morning. That was his task for the week, but the damn animal turned out to be mighty smart, and he can't find it. He’s supposed to harness it and bring it back to the Academy stables, but no luck up to now._

_Ariel, instead, has been after a cerberus, a small one, because otherwise he would probably be dead, considering the danger such animals usually pose. He was pretty shocked about his assignment anyway because, where he’s from, cerberus is a pretty scary, pretty huge creature. He had no idea there were places, like here, where they existed in a tinier form. Anyway, he’s supposed to kill it, which he will, as soon as he finds it. As of now, he only saw its footprints here and there, but they never lead him to it._

_The cerberus footprints take Ariel where Daniel is, hiding behind a bush, waiting next to a lake, trying to spot a pegasus. Ariel is the first noticing the other one.]_

**Ariel:** _(He’s walking, following the trail of what he thinks (hopes?) is the Cerberus. It's the third time he follows footprints and ends up nowhere, so he’s starting to lose hope, honestly. Also, what is he even doing? This time two weeks ago he had English Literature classes and now he’s risking his life after a Hell Hound. There is something different this time, though, and that's someone behind a bush.)_ Please, tell me your human— no, wait, tell me you come from the Academy too, because I'm not sure I can deal with any more animals today.

**Daniel:** _(Startled by the sudden voice, he turns around and focuses on Ariel. He narrows his eyes, studying him, and finally recognizes him.)_ You were in my group last time, weren't you...? The archer.

**Ariel:** _(It's the voice, more than his face, that makes it click for him. But then he actually recognizes his face too.)_ Ah, the man with the wooden sword. _(He smirks)_ Daniel, right?

**Daniel:** Right. _(He remains crouched behind the bush, but at least he turns towards him, smiling.)_ Could you get down, please? If it sees you, it'll never come out.

**Ariel:** _(He crouches down and looks around.)_ What are you after?

**Daniel:** A pegasus. _(He turns back towards the lake.)_ I've tried finding one the whole week, I even saw a glimpse of one at some point, but I could never capture it. At some point I figured, the bastard must drink, doesn't it? It'll come here and when it gets down to drink it'll be defenseless, and I'll attack it.

**Ariel:** Um, it makes sense. I don't know if pegasi here work like they do where I'm from, but they're pretty shy creatures there. They do favor a certain kind of people though...

**Daniel:** You have pegasi where you're from? _(Blinks and looks at him, immediately fascinated.)_ Have you ridden one?

**Ariel:** _(Chuckling)_ No, we don't have pegasi, never had, but we have stories about them and they all say the same thing, pretty much.

**Daniel:** Which is...? _(Curiously)_

**Ariel:** They don't show up for anybody, but since they are these pure, perfect, innocent creatures, they have an affinity with children... and virgins.

**Daniel:** Ah. _(He falls on his ass on the ground, pretty disappointed. He was hoping he could use some information to refine his hunting technique, but it turns out this is a lost cause.)_ Then I'll never be able to get one. Fuck. _(Groaning)_ Did she do it on purpose...? _(He mentally curses Vice Principal Kaja.)_ I'll fail all my classes here.

**Ariel:** _(He frowns, a little taken aback. This guy, unbelievable.)_ First of all, we don't know if this pegasus works like the pegasus I know. And, since mine are fictional characters, I wouldn't trust the information I have. Secondly, you haven't failed anything yet. Actually, you did pretty good during your first battle. Third, those people are teachers. What's the point in wanting to make you fail?

**Daniel:** I don't know, they could be like Hogwarts professors. _(Groaning)_ Professors versus students, like in Harry Potter.

**Ariel:** _(He beams a little – not too much though, he's still trying to maintain some dignity and he's being trained to do that. At least he was, before his Master disappeared.)_ You know Harry Potter?

**Daniel:** Of course. _(He nods.)_ It's a classic for kids where I'm from. My sister loved it. Me, not so much, but we read it together at night and she made me read it over and over again, especially the parts she loved the most, so there are huge bits of it I literally know by heart. It's a thing where you're from too?

**Ariel:** A thing? It's _the_ thing. Someone says it was the reason for a new young readers renaissance. For a moment nobody talked about anything else, then it became a cult and now it's a cultural thing. If you haven't read it, you're out. And if you have read it but you don't know your house, you're like, a savage. That is why I was so amused when they sent us here. We totally are in an Hogwarts situation here.

**Daniel:** House? _(He blinks confusedly.)_ There are no houses in Harry Potter.

**Ariel:** What do you mean there are no houses? Students get assigned to a house the first year. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff. Are you sure you read it?

**Daniel:** Of course I did, but nothing like this ever happened in the books I read. _(Chuckling)_ Students enter Hogwarts and from the next day they've gotta fend for themselves against the Professors. It's a survival magic school.

**Ariel:** A what now? Why would they ever want to go there anyway? What happened to Voldemort?

**Daniel:** He is the reason why the students are taught survival skills!

**Ariel:** Oh! So he won there? _(Now he's suddenly interested.)_ Did he kill Harry when he was a baby?

**Daniel:** What? No! _(He laughs softly)_ What book did you even read? The world's split in two, there are the forces of Darkness led by Voldemort and the forces of Light led by Dumbledore, but all young wizards need to be trained and only the best who survive will be able to join the Light army. Harry dies in volume three.

**Ariel:** He is the bloody main character!

**Daniel:** Yeah, it's kind of a Game of Thrones situation, JK started killing off main characters at some point. In the end only Hermione survives, from the initial group.

**Ariel:** _(He snorts)_ Of course she would survive that. _(He sits down next to him, making sure his bow is safe by his side.)_ I'm scared of asking you how Game of Thrones went over there.

**Daniel:** A massacre. _(He nods)_ Happily ever after, where you're from?

**Ariel:** It's actually not finished where I come from. Only the TV show is over and that was a massacre, alright. Martin is an asshole in every universe.

**Daniel:** Right. _(He chuckles, and then takes a peek at the lake. No pegasi there, yet.)_ Um— What about you? What are you searching for?

**Ariel:** A cerberus. Its footprints stop right there. It either disappeared or it started to. I don't know why I'm here, but I'm pretty sure they're going to send me back home if it goes on like this.

**Daniel:** Ah, right... _(He thinks about it.)_ Listen, does it have to be this specific cerberus you're after, or can it be any other cerberus? Cos there's a puppy I befriended during this week, I could just take you to him.

**Ariel:** I'm supposed to kill it. _(He reasons about it.)_ But I guess that befriending a cerberus is harder than killing one, right?

**Daniel:** Well, I just had to share my lunch with him, but I don't think they're gonna make you fail your class just because you didn't off a dog. _(He smiles)_ In exchange, you've gotta help me find this pegasus, though.

**Ariel:** _(He smiles back and offers him his hand.)_ Deal.

**Daniel:** Great. _(He smiles again and then shakes his head.)_ Are you a virgin? Any chance?

**Ariel:** _(He cringes, but in amusement.)_ I'm the farthest thing from it. _(He unconsciously touches his fingers to his collar.)_ Sorry, man. That train left a few years ago.

**Daniel:** Damn. _(chuckling)_ I suspected it, though. You're too good looking to be free.

**Ariel:** _(smirking)_ You're not bad yourself. Still, I could be non-virgin and free. _(He knows he shouldn't be saying stuff like this, not when it's pointless as it won't lead to any pleasant consequences, like when it does with Master Jules looking at him. And yet, it's been two weeks, and his restlessness is starting to show in a subtle way.)_

**Daniel:** _(chuckling)_ What, are you putting yourself on display?

**Ariel:** Hmn, we'll see. _(He crouches again, in alert.)_ I don't know if you can handle me yet.

**Daniel:** _(He's intrigued and he smirks, but then he thinks about what already happened with Ephraim and he backs away immediately, tensing sensibly.)_ Maybe it's me who's unavailable, though.

**Ariel:** I don't know, are you? _(But then he frowns, looking sharply to the left.)_ Wait, I hear something.

**Daniel:** _(He tilts his head up and looks towards the lake, where he actually sees the pegasus.)_ There it fucking is! _(As he moves, he makes the leaves rustle a little, and then he stills himself immediately.)_ If we move, it's gonna hear us. What do we do?

**Ariel:** _(He would like to say he can tie a piece of rope to an arrow, throw it at the pegasus and use it to tie him up from a distance, but it would be cartoonish while this place looks more like Lord of the Rings._ ) We need to get closer. Let's walk around the lake from the other side. Grass should help.

**Daniel:** _(He nods and leads the way, walking slowly around the lake, moving with much more stealth than he himself was expecting. He trained a lot over the last week, it seems he's gained a lighter step.)_

**Ariel:** _(He's graceful, that was the one single thing Jules noticed about him when they met. He said the way he moved made him notice Ariel, but that they would have had to work on everything else. Ariel didn't even know him back then and he was already acting like a Master.)_ You will have to be calm and gentle, have you ever interacted with a horse before?

**Daniel:** No. _(He is a little nervous, as a matter of fact. It's true that he often passes his physical tests pretty well, but the rest is more or less a tragedy, and this specific mission, a hybrid between the two, has proven to be difficult. He has to pass all the subjects – he can't risk being kicked out of here – where else would he go?)_ How do I do that?

**Ariel:** Alright, hear me out. My aunt Braith has a farm in Wales. We used to go there every other Summer when I was younger. She breeds Welsh Cobs. Horses are proud animals and they need to know you're not there to submit them, they don't like that. They work with you, not for you. And I suppose a pegasus is way more proud than a Welsh Cob, he's got any reason to be. So you want to move very slowly and keep your head a little low, showing respect. You need to get close to him one step at the time, speaking in a low voice.

**Daniel:** _(As he listens to him he turns to look at him, curiosity sparkling in his eyes for a moment.)_ You seem to know a lot... about horses and also submission.

**Ariel:** _(He realizes that he's really too used to people knowing exactly what he is by just looking at him. It is a clear sign that he's been living in the scene and among people like himself for too long.)_ Yes, I don't wear a collar for fashion.

**Daniel:** _(He stops halfway through a step.)_ Ah, so I got that right. _(He gestures towards the collar.)_ We have those too, where I'm from.

**Ariel:** _(He raises an eyebrow)_ Collars?

**Daniel:** _(nodding)_ For people in a BDSM relationship. That's pretty common where I'm from.

**Ariel:** _(He looks up at him, his eyes alight with sudden curiosity. He was totally not expecting that.)_ You mean it's mainstream?

**Daniel:** _(He chuckles a little.)_ What does that word mean?

**Ariel:** It means it's a thing a lot of people do normally, like holding hands or kissing?

**Daniel:** Ah, yes. ( _He nods, but then the pegasus whinnies and he sharply turns towards the animal, who seems to be trotting away slowly.)_ Shit—

**Ariel:** That makes up for your weird-ass Harry potter. _(He stands up.)_ Alright, be quiet. _(He turns to the pegasus.)_ Hi there. _(He takes only two steps, one hand raised, his head slightly bowed.)_

_[The pegasus turns to look at the boy and stares at him as though he was staring at his own shit after he pooped it out. Then, he whinnies in outrage.]_

**Daniel:** _(He hides out behind a bush and just waits.)_

**Ariel:** _(He stops, sensing it's still too soon to get any closer.)_ I'm not here to hurt you. _(And then, since they are in a magical place, he tries something. Maybe the horse is more intelligent than a normal horse.)_ I'm here to humbly ask for help.

_[The pegasus stops, as the boy’s words kind of titillate his curiosity. The ridiculous non-flying human wants his help. He wonders with what, and he whinnies inquisitively.]_

**Daniel:** Is he talking with the horse?

**Ariel:** _(He knew it, this animal understands him.)_ I'm not here alone, I have a friend with me. Can he come out?

_[It depends, the pegasus thinks, is he as polite as you are? He's curious, though, so he literally nods.]_

**Daniel:** Seriously...? _(He swallows and comes out from behind the bush, his blonde messy hair covered in leaves and sticks.)_ Um... hi.

_[Upon seeing the new boy, and his disheveled state, the pegasus whinnies unfavorably.]_

**Ariel:** _(He keeps looking at the pegasus, but speaks to Daniel.)_ Brush your hair and bow your head. _(To the horse)_ Please, excuse my friend. He has never seen a majestic creature like you before.

_[That's obvious, the pegasus whinnies with outrage.]_

**Daniel:** _(Muttering)_ I can't believe this... _(But he combs his hair as well as he can and keeps his head bowed as he advances.)_ Sorry for... uh... presenting myself in such a state. I'm not used to being in the same... uh... clearing with royalty.

_[Whinnying, the pegasus makes sure the boys know he thinks their unpreparedness shows.]_

**Ariel:** We come from the Academy. This is our second field test. We're supposed to find you and ask you for a great favor. _(He hopes this works, that the pegasus can’t detect the lie.)_ Would you be so kind as to accompany us back to the school to show our teachers we found you?

_[Upon hearing this, the pegasus whinnies and humps his back in complete, utter, absolute outrage. Why should he?!]_

**Ariel:** Please, please... _(He softens his voice even more.)_ I didn't mean to offend you. Is there anything we could do for you in exchange for such favour?

_[The pegasus whinnies again, frustratedly and annoyedly, and he starts flapping his wings, as though he was about to leave.]_

**Daniel:** No... _(He clutches his fists down his sides, not wanting to do anything rash lest he pegasus rushes away, but at the same time ready for anything to keep the animal here.)_

**Ariel:** You know what...? _(He stands up and stretches the bow, aiming it at the pegasus.)_ Either he listens to me, or we're doing this the hard way. Stop!

_[The pegasus turns to look at Ariel and he actually, immediately, stops.]_

**Daniel:** _(He blinks a few times, staring at the scene.)_ ... that was easy enough. Why didn't you do it right from the start?

**Ariel:** I--I didn't think it would work. _(He takes a few steps forward.)_ Get down, we need a ride. _(Then he thinks about it.)_ Please. _(Patience and politeness. He had to write it down two thousand times once, in good handwriting. All of that while having a vibrating anal plug plugged in, which did not help the perfect execution of "A"s and "O"s.)_

_[The pegasus elegantly bows down, tilting his head forward and exposing his long neck as he bends one of his front legs and extends the other, lowering himself to their level.]_

**Daniel:** I am literally shocked. _(He keeps blinking and gets closer to the horse.)_ So you reverse, back when you're from? That's not the work of a submissive.

**Ariel:** _(He looks frowning at the Pegasus, he has no idea what's going on.)_ No, I don't. _(He gets closer to the animal, never getting him out of his sight. He's very confused, but he's also a little angry. The horse made him so.)_ I don't think it's me doing this.

**Daniel:** I don't see anyone else around here and it certainly isn't me...

_[The pegasus flashes up an adoring look at the bow.]_

**Ariel:** _(He looks at the horse and then at the bow.)_ It's the bloody bow.

**Daniel:** The bow? _(Frowning)_ How?

**Ariel:** I have no idea. _(He gets even closer to the animal and nods towards it.)_ Let's just go with it as long as it works. Get on it.

**Daniel:** ... okay. _(He clears his throat.)_ Would you mind riding front? At least I can cling to you.

**Ariel:** _(He snorts.)_ That's a very lame excuse for touching me, but alright, Daniel. _(He frowns because he has a weird deja-vu.)_ I think this is the second time in a few months that I say this exact sentence.

**Daniel:** _(He frowns as he gets on the horse behind Ariel and holds on to him.)_ That's a very specific sentence to say once, already, but twice?

**Ariel:** I know another Daniel. _(He holds onto the pegasus' neck as it starts flapping his wings.)_

**Daniel:** Oh. _(He does his math, putting this last sentence together with what he said before.)_ It's your boyfriend?

**Ariel:** No, I would never answer that to my boyfriend. _(He hits the pegasus gently with his heels, to invite him to take flight.)_ He's my boyfriend's best friend.

**Daniel:** Oh. _(He blinks again, and when the pegasus starts flying towards the academy he clings to him a little tighter.)_ That's a strange thing to say to your boyfriend's best friend. _(Chuckling)_

**Ariel:** I like to make fun of him because he’s really easy to embarrass. So, whenever my Master leaves him in charge of me when he can't be there, I say all kind of things just to make him blush. _(He speaks fondly, of both Daniel and his old life, his voice and his whole posture change, and he looks a little less defensive.)_ Where's the puppy dog you promised me?

**Daniel:** _(He was listening to him with quite the interest, so when Ariel mentions the puppy he comes back to their present reality quite abruptly.)_ Ah... yeah, he spent the night in my room, I suppose he's still there. He probably destroyed it, but... I mean, if you want you can come and I can show him to you after I drop this to the stables.

**Ariel:** _(He looks back at him with the smuggest smile ever.)_ Are you inviting me to your room to see your three-headed puppy dog, Daniel?

**Daniel:** _(This time, the innuendo actually makes him blush, and he withdraws a little.)_ Why are you like this...? _(He chuckles embarrassedly.)_

**Ariel:** Handsome? Intriguing? Irresistible?

**Daniel:** No— I mean. _(Chuckling)_ I meant that you're allusive.

**Ariel:** So I'm none of those things. You’re a charmer, aren't you? _(He checks if the pegasus is going in the right direction.)_

**Daniel:** Stop flirting. _(He chuckles again and he seems a little relieved when he sees the castle peeking out of the woods.)_ Ah, there it is.

**Ariel:** _(Was that an order? Not like those he's used to, but it's way better than a question, "Why are you like this?". The boy is learning.)_ As you wish.

**Daniel:** ( _He gets a weird feeling out of that answer, but he wisely chooses not to explore it. The pegasus flies them to the academy, and suddenly Daniel understands that he's letting Ariel lead an animal that he was supposed to capture, right to the people he was supposed to show it to.)_ Ah— wait, stop the horse.

_[The pegasus whinnies outragedly: who did you call horse?!]_

**Ariel:** _(He pulls gently at his mane, so they remain hovering mid-fly, the pegasus flapping his big wings.)_ What's up? I don't know if he works like a helicopter.

**Daniel:** I need to get this to the stables by myself... _(Chuckling)_ We were supposed to do this solo.

**Ariel:** Oh, right. Well, we land outside the school. You can take my bow to get him to the stable. Just... don't break it.

**Daniel:** Okay, thank you. _(He smiles and, once the pegasus has landed, he takes the bow from Ariel's hand and then lets him get off the horse.)_ Wait for me near the cafeteria. I'll take you to my room.

**Ariel:** _(He nods, looking at the bow in his hand a little nervously. That's the only item he brought with him when he came here, and the only one that connects him to Jules except for the collar. But he trusts Daniel, for some reason.)_

**Daniel:** Okay, mighty winged thingie... now we walk. _(He swallows and leads the pegasus to the stables, where he meets with professor Kormakr, who applauds his ability in getting such a majestic creature under his heel. Daniel accepts the compliments even if he knows they're misdirected, and then leaves the pegasus to the professor’s care and heads back out and towards the cafeteria, to go find Ariel.)_

**Ariel:** _(He found himself an apple and he's eating it to pass the time while he looks around. He doesn't know half the students of his year and he's a little creeped out by the other half. What's a volkmane anyway?!)_

**Daniel:** Hey! I'm back. Uh— where did you find that? I'm so hungry.

**Ariel:** _(He gives him the apple. There's only a couple of bites on it.)_ Here, take this. There's a queue. Did everything go well with Kormakr?

**Daniel:** _(Smiling)_ Yep, all fine. _(He takes a big bite from the apple, carelessly right on a bite Ariel already took.)_ You wanna come up now?

**Ariel:** _(He makes a little gesture with his arm.)_ After you. Where did they put you?

**Daniel:** First floor. _(He makes way towards the stairs, taking a few more bites off the apple.)_ I've got a pretty nice room. Did they pair you with someone else or are you alone?

**Ariel:** I'm alone. _(He nods looking around.)_ I think it's because I'm the special snowflake here, or something. There's some sort of werewolf on my floor and a... mushroom? I don't know.

**Daniel:** _(Chuckling)_ Hey, I'm alone too, but I'm not a special snowflake. I share the floor with a wizard. It's just two bedrooms in that wing. But my room is pretty far from his. _(He gets to the first floor and offers the apple back to Ariel.)_

**Ariel:** _(He grabs the apple and takes a bite.)_ The guy who's always overdressed and who looks at you like you were made of candies?

**Daniel:** _(He actually blushes and looks away, heading towards his bedroom.)_ Yeah... that's Ephraim.

**Ariel:** _(He struggles not to laugh.)_ Don't fret, I'm not going to ask for details.

**Daniel:** _(He clears his throat.)_ There wouldn't be many to give.

**Ariel:** A-ah, I believe you.

**Daniel:** No, I'm serious. _(He chuckles and stops in front of the right door.)_ Something did happen, but I stopped it. _(He passes his hand above the handle and it unlocks magically by itself, as all doors of the dorm do.)_

**Ariel:** _(He looks briefly at him.)_ Somebody back at home?

**Daniel:** _(He sighs, passing a hand over his face and through his hair.)_ Unfortunately, it's more complicated than this. _(Then he opens the door and walks in to find his room completely wrecked and ruined, of course. Everything that was on anything has been toppled over and thrown on the ground and possibly broken. Everything that could be torn apart was ripped, including the pillows and the coverlet, and a part of the mattress too. And the pet cerberus sleeps peacefully in the middle of all this mayhem, all three heads on Daniel's pillow.)_ Oh, _God_.

**Ariel:** _(He looks around the room, taking the disaster in.)_ Wow, he managed to destroy _everything_.

**Daniel:** Jesus... _(He hurries Ariel inside and then rushes towards the baby dog, who stands up on all legs and starts yapping happily once he realizes Daniel's back.)_ I thought he'd make a mess but I didn't imagine _this_!

**Ariel:** Well, a puppy makes a mess, but he's three puppies in one. I'm not saying it was predictable, but it was a little. _(He sighs.)_

**Daniel:** That's not helpful. _(He frowns, while the cerberus keeps yapping loudly.)_ Hey— Hey, lower your voice, tiny thing! Come on, somebody'll hear you!

**Ariel:** _(He picks up a few things from the floor and puts them back on the furniture. It seems a little futile, but he can't put the pillows back together.)_ I can take him to Miss Kaja and we can say he ran from me and destroyed your room.

**Daniel:** That'd be a little random and suspicious, don't you think? _(He sighs and starts picking up other things from the floor and tidying up the bed as much as he can.)_ I'll just make do and sleep on this wrecked bed, unless I find somewhere else to sleep.

**Ariel:** _(The dog jumps off the bed and starts wandering around. All three of his snouts start sniffing him. He crouches to pet him. The cerberus seems way more friendly than he was expecting. Two of the heads start munching at his shoelaces while the third licks his fingers. Ariel is thinking of something, but he's not sure Daniel is going to take it the right way.)_ There's a second bed in my room. _(He shrugs, he doesn't even know why he's doing this. He's not usually that friendly with people.)_ I think it was supposed to be a double.

**Daniel:** _(He looks at him and blinks, slowly.)_ Seriously?

**Ariel:** _(He shrugs again.)_ I'm clean, I don't snore... and the beds are wide apart, so you don't have to worry about me hugging you in my sleep.

**Daniel:** _(He actually lets out an unbelieving chuckle.)_ What would your boyfriend say about you sharing your bedroom with a guy you barely know?

**Ariel:** _(He tenses a little, but he doesn't seem angry. Just a little sad perhaps.)_ It's not ideal, _(he pets cerberus again and he rolls on his back, flailing his legs)_ but he trusts me.

**Daniel:** Enough that he's gotta leave you in someone else's care when he's not around... _(He smirks a little.)_ How does that work?

**Ariel:** _(He drops on the floor, sitting cross-legged. The dog climbs on him, wiggling his chubby ass.)_ It doesn't happen often, only when he has to be away for a long period of time and I can't go with him. I get restless sometimes and certain... things calm me down, so Daniel has permission to do them if he thinks they are necessary, and only in that case. Nothing too bad, anyway. Ropes, mostly.

**Daniel:** He ties you up? _(He sits down cross-legged next to him. The cerberos goes crazy and starts jumping back and forth on each of them.)_ Full shibari?

**Ariel:** Yeah, that would be nice _(He chuckles.)_ But no, he's not there yet. It took my Master months just to convince him to handcuff me to the leg of a table. He's not exactly... in the scene.

**Daniel:** Oh, I see. _(chuckling)_ It's nice that he's doing it for you, though, he must care about you a lot.

**Ariel:** Mhn... _(smiling)_ He's an unwilling carer. He's like "I didn't sign up for this", but then he does because he's a really nice guy.

**Daniel:** That... doesn't seem much good for him. _(chuckling)_ Um... I haven't thanked you, yet. For helping out with the pegasus.

**Ariel:** Nah, don't worry. _(He picks up the cerberus, that yaps excitedly.)_ You've got me a three-headed dog. We're even.

**Daniel:** _(smiling)_ You gonna get him to Miss Kaja, now?

**Ariel:** Exactly! Come on, buddy. _(He stands up and looks closely at the dog. All three of his heads look at him adoringly and with three big dog-smiles.)_ Can you try and look a little more ferocious? You were supposed to be hard to capture. _(Cerberus licks his hand three times. Ariel sighs.)_ I can open the door for you on my way up, so you can get yourself settled.

**Daniel:** _(So this is happening. Okay. How much of a mess is this one going to turn into, from one to disaster? He sighs and stands up.)_ Um— I'll just try and fix a few things up and then I'll gather some things and... I'll meet you there when it's bedtime? Where's the room exactly?

**Ariel:** Third floor, second room to the right. You can't miss it, the one right in front of it has a very big scratch on it.

**Daniel:** Okay. _(He nods and smiles.)_ Won't miss it. Thanks again.

**Ariel:** (smiling) No problem.


	2. Chapter 1. You'll Be Coming Back For Seconds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and Ariel faced a dragon during one of their trials at the academy, and they couldn't beat it, even if they were among a group of four people. Now they have to face it again, and this time they'll be alone. Daniel doesn't believe they have a chance, and to celebrate this newfound discovery he decides to drink himself into a stupor. Ariel ends up letting himself be involved into that, and the thing has consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter participates to [Chapter 0.III](https://www.landedifandom.net/explorers-chapter-0-parte-3/) of the [Explorers](https://www.landedifandom.net/sezione/explorers/) challenge @ [landedifandom.net](https://www.landedifandom.net/). The prompt was [Sweet but Psycho](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXBHCQYxwr0) by Ava Max to be mixed with the fact that the story had to be set into a school or academy.

_[After the great disappointment that was their battle with the mighty pocket-size dragon, Ariel's opinion on the whole situation got dramatically worse. He's self-confident enough to know that he did the best he could with the tools he had. The point is that he doesn't think the weapons he has (together with Daniel's) will ever be enough to beat a dragon that four people together couldn't beat. He shoots wooden arrows, there's only so much he can do against a fire-spitting dragon, no matter how small._

_He spent the week practicing with his bow – and trying to forget that there was an amulet on it that has weirdly something to do with dominance, because every time he thinks about it his mind goes in weird places – and that helped his aim, but he's still not sure that's going to be enough._

_As far as Daniel goes, he was a mess. Not only practicing seemed to be completely useless, but he doesn't have the self-confidence he would need to believe this is going to turn out anything than a disaster when they have to face that tiny beast again tomorrow._

_Physically, he's been doing better. Practicing the sword is helping his fencing technique coming back to him, and it feels good to train again, and to conquer back the moves that made him feel like he owned the place he was occupying back when he was younger. But his Crio sword, the one his grandmother gave him under the shape of a charm, works differently than the swords he was used to wield. It's heavier, it has a different density, it seems, and it's charged with something that Daniel scarcely understands and that he can't make work at will._

_Sometimes the sword does something, while he practices, turns an object into ice or something else, but it's never upon command, it's always random and uncontrollable, and how is he supposed to make that work during a fight?_

_So he spent days obsessing about this, and about the failure that surely awaits them tomorrow, and then something in his brain snapped and he decided he wouldn't think about anything else for the rest of the night. His brain's overloading and if he doesn't stop its gears from whirring like this he's going to turn insane before his training comes to an end._

_So he did one thing Bev and him used to do when shit turned too bad for them to handle and they needed a break. He stole alcohol from the kitchen. And when he enters Ariel's bedroom later that night his backpack is heavy and clinking.]_

**Ariel:** _(When he offered Daniel to sleep in his room, he wasn't really sure it was going to work because he's used to have his own space and to share it with no one. In fact, having a place for himself alone is very important for his mental balance. But Daniel is very polite and discreet, and they have very different routines that don't cross each other. So, while Daniel was away, he had time to prepare for the night and do yoga. Now he's sitting on the bed, trying to make sense of a book on ice magic. He looks up and frowns confusedly at him.)_ You sound like a bin for recycling glass.

**Daniel:** That's a nice way to tell me I'm trash. _(He heads straight for his bed, but instead of sitting on it he sits on the floor, next to it, and puts the backpack between his legs, unzipping it to show the bottles inside.)_ Do you drink?

**Ariel:** Not as much as I would like. _(He closes the book.)_ But I can make an exception for a very good reason. What's going on?

**Daniel:** We have cause to celebrate, of course. _(He takes out two bottles and uses the edge of a short blade he's learning to hold in his left hand as he fights, to uncap them both.)_ Here, this is for you.

**Ariel:** _(Daniel says they have cause to celebrate, and yet he makes it sound like there is none, so whatever it is, it must be serious. His money is on the exam. He grabs the bottle and slides on the floor to sit next to him.)_ Alright, since I'm _literally_ not allowed to drink and I'm about to do it anyway, please tell me they told you we passed the exam without taking it.

**Daniel:** No. I just came to a very important realization. _(He's more bitter than he's ever been before, especially around Ariel. It looks like he's showing a truer, more intimate side of himself, for the first time. He makes their bottles clink together and then swallows half the beer bottle in one sip.)_

**Ariel:** _(He drinks too and mentally takes note to confess to Jules whenever he'll see him again. He knows it doesn't work that way – you don't break the rules and just say "I'm sorry" when you broke them on purpose – but he's also stuck on a parallel universe or something of the sort and he's probably going to be burned alive by a baby dragon, so he can cut himself a little bit of slack.)_ Alright, let's hear it.

**Daniel:** I realized that everything we did up to now was completely pointless. _(nodding)_ We were never supposed to fucking beat this. The game's rigged, it's designed for people that aren't us. You see, we're the idiots that get cut while others progress. I know that, because I was the one who progressed while other idiots got cut back, where I'm from. _(Nods and drinks again.)_

**Ariel:** Hmn, I see. Nice point, but I've got a better one. Just hear me out, I'm spitballing here. _(He drinks some more.)_ None of us is supposed to beat the mini-dragon. Half the people we trained with were suckers like us.

**Daniel:** Yeah, because we were paired with the other idiots. _(Nods, confident in his theory.)_ Have you seen some of the people in the cafeteria? Elves, angels, beasts of all kinds, vampires, wizards and sorceress. And then us. Some of them _are_ going to beat that dragon. We're just gonna look like fools, and then be kicked out of here. _(He empties out the bottle and quickly opens another one.)_

**Ariel:** _(He points at him with the bottle.)_ You have a magic sword now!

**Daniel:** Yeah, that I can't even use properly. _(He starts drinking from the second bottle too, quickly on purpose, showing clearly that this is something he knows how to do for a specific purpose.)_ A stick would be more appropriate, at least it'd be honest. What do I do with a sword I can't make work?

**Ariel:** _(He takes another sip from his own bottle.)_ The same thing I do with my bow, you try.

**Daniel:** Oh, yeah, we're gonna try. _(nodding)_ And we're gonna fail. _(He rests his back against the bed and sighs, drinking lazily, now.)_ And this is gonna be over.

**Ariel:** Being here seems very important to you. _(He looks attentively at him.)_ Why?

**Daniel:** _(He sighs, passing a hand through his hair, his fingers getting caught up in his tangled waves.)_ Before I got here... I jumped through a lot of different places. Weird places, boring places, different places... and nowhere I ever felt like I had a purpose. You know, a reason to be there. But then I got here...

**Ariel:**...and you felt like you belonged, like you were supposed to be here _. (He didn't feel like that about this place, but he knows the feeling anyway. You're lost or confused or terribly angry and then, suddenly, it feels like home.)_

**Daniel:** _(He nods, slowly. He drinks more, and the second bottle's over. He reaches out automatically for a third.)_ I thought I could find something here. That I could stay and it would mean something. That I could stop running away.

**Ariel:** _(Leans over him to grab his second bottle. If you break a rule, break it well. Daniel can smell the school-issued clay soap on his skin.)_ From what?

**Daniel:** _(He looks up at him. Can he trust this guy and tell him what he hasn't told a living soul yet? He's not sure.)_... complicated things. _(He looks away.)_

**Ariel:** _(He doesn't insist, but he presents his second bottle to him so he can open it.)_ We might be the weakest here and I'm not sure how we're going to beat that dragon, but I do really believe we're not here by chance.

**Daniel:** _(Oh, yes, he believes that too. He's here because life wants to show him, once again, that running is pointless. That he ruined everything and now he's gotta pay for it all his life. He grabs the bottle and opens it with a slow movement, his eyes glued on Ariel, never leaving him.)_ What's your reason to be here?

**Ariel:** _(He snorts, sarcastically.)_ I don't have one. I literally woke up in this place and I don't know how I got here. _(He drinks and licks his lips.)_ And that was after my Master just disappeared overnight. I have to believe the two things are connected, or I'm an idiot and he's on some Caribbean beach with someone else and I... _(He drinks again.)_ I can't really afford to think like that.

**Daniel:** You think he was... kidnapped or something? And that you're here to learn how to get him back? _(He empties out another quarter of the bottle. Things are getting fuzzy before his eyes.)_

**Ariel:** Maybe. Or maybe he’s close, and he came here on purpose. _(He takes another very big sip.)_ Did you see the amulet? What is that even? Master Jules bought that bow on Earth, why was that thing there?

**Daniel:** And why would he give you something that helps you change people and animals’ will like that? _(He finds that intriguing, and it's good to think about it while he avoids his own problems.)_ Where did you put it after Lady Emeraude took it off the bow? Do you wear it?

**Ariel:** _(He shows him his left wrist. There is a thin black strap wrapped tightly around it, now, and, hanging from it, the amulet.)_ I have no idea why he gave it to me. The amulet doesn't seem his thing either, he's not one for jewels like this.

**Daniel:** _(He reaches out and holds Ariel's wrist in his hand, letting his thumb run first above the black strap, then, very slowly, underneath, against his pulse point.)_ I wonder how that feels.

**Ariel:** _(Daniel's touch feels nice, especially after two bottles and the vague idea of opening a third. Go big or go home, right?)_ What?

**Daniel:** Having that power over someone... _(He keeps rubbing Ariel's skin, ignoring the amulet. Ariel feels smooth and soft and smells damn good, and the beer is making his thoughts very confused right now.)_ To decide what happens and when. And how. And control how it feels, and the intensity of it... put a stop to it whenever you want, and then start it again, over and over...

**Ariel:** _(There's a slight shift in his head. It's not Daniel's touching him, it's not even the words he's saying but the possibility that's beyond them, that option that, he can feel it, is there if only they decide to reach for it. It's scary, but it also appeals to that part of him that's longing for something he misses terribly and that he has been missing for days now.)_ Have you never tried it? Not even as a game?

**Daniel:** _(He shakes his head, slowly.)_ Never. My last relationship... none of us was in control. We were both... _(He struggles to find the words.)_ I don't know. Victims of it, I guess. I tried to numb her pain and... _(groaning)_ There was no control in what we had or did. It was just madness.

**Ariel:** _(He moves a little closer, his green eyes on him, demure and yet alight with a different light.)_ Control comes from structure and to get that you just need to give one... first... order.

**Daniel:** _(He looks back up at Ariel's face, putting down the beer bottle with a clinking sound.)_ You make it sound easy. But I'm guessing it isn't. It's not like I'm just gonna say something and... you will do as I say right away. Right?

**Ariel:** _(He gives him a tiny shrug.)_ There are a few rules, but other than that it's up to you.

**Daniel:** _(He swallows, and he only tastes the bitter taste of beer. He longs to taste something else – anything else. Bitterness has been with him for much too long, he can't take it anymore.)_ Come closer.

**Ariel:** _(He crawls lazily towards him, his body moving gracefully. His eyes never leave him, as if he was constantly checking his reactions to act accordingly. In the back of his head a voice is saying that this is wrong and that he's playing with fire, but he's tipsy and Daniel is really cute. And maybe, just maybe, if he misbehaves enough, his Master will show up the same way he disappeared. He always knows, right?)_

**Daniel:** _(He said a thing and Ariel immediately responded. That's almost magic, to him. Beverly never did one thing he asked her to. She was wild, wilder than him, she believed in chaos and mayhem, she wanted nothing else from him but a love so mad it would numb her pain. So she couldn't give him control, and it feels good to try something different.)_ Get on your knees. Hands on your lap. Eyes down like a good boy.

**Ariel:** _(He sits back, hands on his knees as Daniel asked, his back straight, showing perfect posture. He can feel Daniel is enjoying it and that makes him eager to please.)_

**Daniel:** _(This gives him an unexpected rush that makes his heart beat faster. It's something new and it's something that could take his head off things – off everything, really. He gets up on his knees too, moving closer to him. He's just a little bit taller than Ariel, so he can look at him from above.)_ Look up now.

**Ariel:** _(He looks up at him, his lips slightly parted. It's like the hundreds of tiny little gears in his body were running wild, some completely off, some grinding, some turning backwards, and now with every order a little piece of him goes back in place.)_

**Daniel:** _(He slowly raises a hand and lets his thumb rub, first delicately, then a little roughly, against Ariel's cheekbone, then his jaw, then right underneath his lips.)_ You look fucking gorgeous. Did anyone ever tell you that? _(He swallows hard, his mouth completely dry.)_

**Ariel:** Not... in this place. _(He leans into the palm of his hand.)_ You are too nice.

**Daniel:** _(His breath remains suspended for a little while. Then his thumb ends up on Ariel's bottom lip, rubbing against it, pushing it a little.)_ No, I'm not.

**Ariel:** Okay. You don't need to be. _(He speaks against his thumb.)_ You can control everything you want.

**Daniel:** You don't know what I wanna do. _(He dares and pushes his thumb a little further in, the tip of it dancing on the wet inner line of Ariel's lips, almost grazing his teeth.)_ Be careful what you allow me.

**Ariel:** _(He tilts his head up.)_ Try me.

**Daniel:** _(He forces Ariel's mouth open, then, because those words just prompt him to.)_ Stick your tongue out.

**Ariel:** _(He does as commanded, smirking at him, with an 'I'm such a good boy' look in his eyes.)_

**Daniel:** _(He leans in on him and parts his lips, taking out his tongue too. He lets their tongues meet first, before it turns into a real kiss. He just licks him and it's the dirtiest thing Daniel's done in quite a while, but at the same time he does it like someone who used to do it quite often. He licks Ariel's tongue and then closes his lips on his, kissing him wetly, openly, forcing his mouth to remain a little bit open with his thumb hooked at its corner, all through the kiss.)_

**Ariel:** _(He was not expecting that at all. Nothing of what Daniel said or did in the past few weeks suggested anything even remotely close to this. He loses his balance a bit as all his buttons get pushed at the same time and he lets out a tiny moan of pleasure.)_

**Daniel:** _(He feels him lose his balance and the need for control pushes back in hard. He frowns and interrupts the kiss immediately, to punish him.)_ Kneel straight.

**Ariel:** _(He's drunk, confused and now horny, the word just slips out of his mouth.)_ I'm sorry, sir. _(He straightens himself, hands on his knees again, even if he's dying to touch him.)_

**Daniel:** _(Being called like that gives him a new rush, something that makes him lose his composure. He's on Ariel the next second, kissing him hard, sucking at his tongue. He shouldn't, but he starts pushing him down against the floor, definitely intentioned in getting on top of him.)_

**Ariel:** _(He doesn't put up that much resistance. He falls back, his hands closing around the fabric of Daniel's shirt, welcoming his every kiss, following his pace. He doesn't know Daniel enough to know what he likes or what he needs, but he can read people, especially if they give him orders. Daniel needs to be in control of every single detail right now, to take charge, to do whatever the fuck he wants because nothing else is working the way he wants. And Ariel is okay with that because right now he doesn't know where he is, how, or why and what he's supposed to do. All this uncertainty is overwhelming and he needs to give up control, to let go of the reins.)_

**Daniel:** _(He pushes him down against the floor, which luckily is completely carpeted and very soft, and his hands immediately start wandering all over his body. He whispers in between kisses, showering him in a cascade of short harmless orders – keep your hands off me, part your legs, don't move now, call me by my name – and then at some point his body gets the better of him and he balances himself with both hands on the floor and then pushes himself down, grinding against him.)_

**Ariel:** _(He keeps his hands above his head where Daniel told him to keep them, but he raises his hips, searching for some friction. He whimpers when the fabric of their pants makes it frustrating.)_

**Daniel:** _(When Ariel responds, though, it sends a jolt of pleasure up his spine, and that pleasure connects him to the memory of Beverly and turns his brain right on. Suddenly the fog coming from drinking too much alcohol dissipates, and he's back into this room, and to this reality, and he backs away immediately, breaking the kiss abruptly.)_ Shit.

**Ariel:** _(For a moment he's completely disoriented, his brain still wrapped in his own pleasure and the need to respond to orders. He doesn't know what happened, what he did, for Daniel to move away like that. Then everything comes back to him: what he just did and what it means. He crawls back on the floor, his hand reaching for his collar, fingers closing tightly around it.)_

**Daniel:** Shit— I'm sorry. _(He sees his hands going to the collar and he immediately feels dead guilty about it. He_ knows _this guy's with someone. He_ knows _that it's an important relationship. And out of the selfish need to get himself rid of bad thoughts, he just trampled over it.)_ Ariel— I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have.

**Ariel:** _(He is a bit in shock over what he just did, so it takes him a moment to actually register Daniel's words and respond to them. He flirted with other guys before, just to play around because he was bored or because Jules was looking at him and he wanted a reaction from his Master, but he has never followed through with any of that. He had never felt the need to. It was just flirting. This is another thing entirely.)_ Don't... It's not your fault. _(It’s his, he was the one telling Daniel to give the first order.)_

**Daniel:** It is. _(And what's worse is this doesn't feel like it felt when he kissed Ephraim. When he kissed the boy, and his mind wandered off, and then the thought of Beverly detonated inside his head again, he withdrew and he didn't feel like kissing him anymore – not ever again. This time, though? His eyes keep falling down on Ariel's lips, and the desire to kiss him is still there. So he's gotta jump up.)_ I— I should leave.

**Ariel:** No, don't. Please. _(He stands up, the hand holding the collar shaking a little.)_ It's your room too. I should have stopped. I'm sorry I— _(He looks up for a second, but looking at him makes him want to step closer so he looks away.)_ I'm tipsy, I'm not used to drink that much.

**Daniel:** _(He is, instead, and he should've known where this was leading, and it was straight-out disrespectful of him to just ignore it for his own convenience. He swallows, even though his mouth is completely dry, and so he ends up swallowing just air.)_ I'm completely fucking drunk and I don't trust myself right now. _(He swallows again, letting his eyes wander all over Ariel's body, taking him in, his gestures, his figure, this scent that's drowning the room and makes him want to get closer again.)_

**Ariel:** _(Daniel wants to run and he's grateful for that because he doesn't trust himself either. Now he's lucid enough to feel guilty about it. He's supposed to have control over himself, this is just so wrong on so many levels that he doesn't know how to deal with it, which makes him nervous and angry.)_ I... I understand.

**Daniel:** _(He nods quickly and he reaches down to grab his backpack, now empty. He props it up on his shoulder and he passes by Ariel, headed to the door, and he can't help himself, he slows down when he’s close to him, he leans in, he searches for contact, presses their foreheads together, speaking on his lips.)_ Don't... don't be angry at me, please.

**Ariel:** _(He closes his eyes for a second because, God, he wants to kiss him so bad! He gives him the tiniest smile.)_ I'm not.

**Daniel:** Okay. _(He nods quickly, and he pushes forward just a little, their lips barely brushing.)_ Jesus. I'll go. Okay? I'll leave now.

**Ariel:** _(He presses his lips against his.)_ Yes, you should go.

**Daniel:** _(The moment Ariel's lips touch his again he growls a little and literally pushes him against the door, kissing him deeply right away, literally shoving his tongue inside his mouth, hungrily.)_ Yes, just— just one moment, I'll leave right away. Right away, I promise.

**Ariel:** _(He nods as if he was about to gently push him away, but he doesn't. Instead, he kisses him as if tomorrow wasn't even a thing.)_ Or you could stay a little longer... _(He shakes his head and backs off.)_ No, no, you need to go... _(Presses his face against Daniel's.)_ In a moment.

**Daniel:** You're not making it easy on me... _(He growls again and he kisses him once more, and one of his hands ends up falling between Ariel's legs, feeling him, curiously.)_ No— I've gotta go. I've really gotta go. _(He says, obviously pressing his hand heavily against him.)_ Stop it.

**Ariel:** _(He shakes his head between a heated kiss and the other.)_ I'm not doing anything.

**Daniel:** You're right. _(He kisses him one last time and then sucks his bottom lip in his mouth for a moment. And then, though it literally cuts his breath to let him go, he does. He lets him go, and slowly starts backing off.)_ ... I'll plead temporary insanity. (He lets out an uncertain chuckle.) I'm sorry, I was terrible.

**Ariel:** _(He swallows, trying to put himself together, which is hard since he's hornier than he was before.)_ ...that makes two of us.

**Daniel:** No, you weren't terrible. (He smiles, looking at him with much more intensity than he should be looking at him with.) You really weren't.

**Ariel:** _(He chuckles and looks down sheepishly for a moment.)_ Right...

**Daniel:** _(He ends up chuckling again, a hint of embarrassment coming back into his voice, making him once again recognizable as the same guy Ariel has spent time with over the last week.)_ Okay, I'll... I'll leave, now. For real. You sleep well. _(He clears his throat.)_ I'll see you tomorrow. Okay?

**Ariel:** _(He would ask where he's going to sleep, but that would make him stay and he's not sure he would ever let him go this time, so he just nods.)_ You too. Goodnight.

**Daniel:** Good night. _(He smiles and, for a moment, he's tempted to lean in for one final kiss, but he knows for sure that if he kissed him now he wouldn't be able to stop again. So, before he does something he would end up regretting, he turns around and leaves.)_

**Ariel:** _(He keeps himself up until Daniel has left the room, then he sighs deeply and slides against the door to the floor, his head in his hands.)_ ...Fuck.


	3. Chapter 2. The Art and Craft of Giving in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ariel and Daniel are tasked with defeating a surprisingly strong baby dragon. They barely manage, not without gaining a few scars in the process, but having to work together poses an even mightier threat, as they can't seem to manage to keep apart from one another, and that's dangerous, considering none of them is supposed to be available.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Missed us? We back. Oh yeah.

_[Over the past week, Daniel he has avoided Ariel entirely. He hasn't looked at him during classes, hasn't searched for him after they were over, he hasn't sat at the same table during meals and he made sure he always came back to the bedroom hours past bedtime, to at least try and find him asleep. He doesn't know if Ariel was actually sleeping, but he never talked to him, so he probably was. Anyway, he always slipped underneath the covers and pretended to fall asleep right away, and then, in the morning, he was always the first to wake up, to make sure he was already out the door when Ariel opened his eyes._

_After what happened, Ariel didn't know what to expect. He doesn't know Daniel very well, after all. So, he just waited to see what Daniel did and acted accordingly. The guy started avoiding him and went well out of his way to make sure their paths never crossed, which was very, very hard to do since they sleep in the same room. Ariel must give it to him, he was good. Anyway, Ariel is sad that they can't even speak anymore – Daniel seems nice and it was nice to have someone to talk to in a place where he doesn't know anyone – but he understands the reason why it would be awkward._

_Daniel was missing Ariel too, obviously, especially because even though the place he comes from is different from the place he himself comes from there are similarities that warmed his heart when they spoke about it. But he couldn't risk doing something stupid to him again. So he forced himself to stay out of his way – which now proves to be completely useless, and also a bit counter-productive, because now they are forced to face a baby dragon together, as part of their school assignments, and not having trained together, not even once, certainly does nothing to make their movements coordinated as they should be if they want to have a chance at this. That is why he's mostly attacking by himself, and all his attacks amount to precisely nothing, as the baby dragon keeps avoiding them easily, flying out of reach and then spitting fire towards him in hot, long shoots.]_

**Ariel:** _[He watches as the dragon eludes Daniel again and sighs deeply, trying to remain calm. He's currently crouching on a branch of the nearest tree.]_ I've got an idea. _[This is the first time they speak to each other in days. Not the best way to begin doing it again, but it's better than nothing.]_

 **Daniel:** Yeah? _[He avoids another fire shot, only barely, and then blocks another with the Crio sword, the blade of which frizzes every time it comes in contact with something hot.]_ I'm all ears.

 **Ariel:** You can’t attack him if he's concentrated on biting your head off. _[He follows the dragon with his eyes, every now and then looking at Daniel too.]_ Take a few steps back, clear the area and let him think you're retreating. I'm going to stick an arrow in him. While he's distracted, you attack.

 **Daniel:** _[He takes one step back, but then he hesitates and growls a little.]_ If you shoot at him, he'll know where you are.

 **Ariel:** I know. _[He grabs an arrow from the quiver on his back and nocks it.]_ That's the way we're going to distract him. The moment he's coming after me, you knock him down.

 **Daniel:** Absolutely not. _[He steps forward again and launches himself against the dragon, who screeches and avoids him, hitting him on his back with another fire shot.]_ Ah! Shit— _[He's burned and he hisses through his teeth in pain.]_

 **Ariel:** _[Hissing through his teeth.]_ ...idiot. _[Fine, if Daniel doesn't want to play along his plan willingly, he will force him. He closes one eye and tends the bow, slowing down his breathing to keep his concentration. He releases the cord, and the arrow goes off with a hiss, hitting the dragon in the back. It gets stuck between its scales, but it doesn't look stuck very deeply, so Ariel quickly throws another one.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He watches as the dragon screeches and tries to turn around to free himself from the arrows, eyes filled with fear and, most of all, rage. The tiny but devilish thing turns and immediately sees Ariel hiding behind the branches of the tree. It flies at full speed towards him, spitting fire in vortexes.]_ No! _[He runs after the dragon, rotating his sword a couple of times and finally sticking it into the baby dragon’s belly after a ten feet jump.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He is in the process of coming down the branch – he's still well far away from jumping from one to the other – pending from it with both his arms, bow secured behind his back, and he grins.]_ Yes!

 **Daniel:** _[Fueled by adrenaline and the need to make sure Ariel would be okay, he wasn't considering his pain, but when the dragon falls to the ground and, soon after that, a squad sent by the academy comes in to finish it, he's immediately conscious of his body again, and he brings a hand to his burned shoulder, hissing.]_ Ouch...

 **Ariel:** _[He frowns, instantly worried. He gets closer without even thinking.]_ Are you alright?

 **Daniel:** My shoulder... I can't see. _[He tries to take a look, but it is of course pretty hard to see behind his back.]_

 **Lady Ruby:** _[She crouches down next to him, studying the burn.]_ I've seen worse, but it is pretty bad... _[She touches it, and Daniel's bare flesh sizzles at the touch, while he loudly complains.]_ Dragon fire is a bitch. _[She stands up.]_ You should go get some Valerian pomade from the infirmary and apply it on the wound twice a day, morning and night, for a couple weeks. Keep the wound clean and don't cover it. You'll get a scar as a reward for your poor judgement.

 **Daniel:** Yeah... thank you very much. _[Mutters as he stands up grumpily.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He speaks without thinking, half of it is high from their victory, the other is relief to know Daniel is okay.]_ Scars are sexy.

 **Daniel:** _[He blushes and has no other idea how to fucking answer that.]_

 **Lady Ruby:** _[Raises an eyebrow.]_ Sure. _[Sighs and rolls her eyes.]_ Take him to his room. I'll pass by to check on him later.

 **Daniel:** No— I don't need it. _[He shakes his head.]_ I'm better already. I'll— I'll go get some pomade and that'll be enough. No need to check on me.

 **Ariel:** _[Once again, he understands Daniel's need to be away from him, but he also understands very well the concepts of recovering, taking care of yourself and, above all, aftercare.]_ Come on, I'm going to escort you to your room and then I'll leave... promise.

 **Daniel:** _[Of course he's thinking: how can you do that? My room is_ your _room, but he certainly can't say that in front of Lady Ruby, and if he fussed about right now it would be suspicious. So, of course, he finds himself nodding.]_ Sure... thanks.

 **Lady Ruby:** _[Groans and makes a dismissive gesture in the air, leaving after the academy squad.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He smiles nicely to Lady Ruby and then his smile progressively disappears until she's truly gone.]_ Come one, let's get you that pomade. Burns are a bitch, you really don't won't to overlook it.

 **Daniel:** _[It's stronger than him – he's got to ask as he follows him along the same path Ruby walked before.]_ You used to play with fire?

 **Ariel:** _[He walks looking on the ground. He does because he's struggling not to look at Daniel constantly, but also because he's training himself to step carefully as not to make any sound, and any walk is a suitable training moment. Anyway, he nods.]_ I did it a few times, but it is not my favorite thing. I have a friend who does it, though. His Master is a professional, and he still gets burned sometimes.

 **Daniel:** _[He nods slowly. He's curious about what Ariel's "things" might be, but he knows better than to launch himself into that hole in the ground, following Alyse's imaginary rabbit. He'd end up as bad as she did in the book. 1]_ No matter what you do, I'll still get a scar, so it seems a little pointless to use the pomade.

 **Ariel:** Pomade will make a better scar and it will also make it better to handle. _[Shrugs.]_ I don't see why you should be in pain until it gets healed.

 **Daniel:** _[He groans, making his problem obvious.]_ I can't put it on by myself.

 **Ariel:** _[He knows how it will sound to his ears, but he says it anyway because, no matter what, he wants to help.]_ I can put it on you.

 **Daniel:** Yeah... I thought you would. _[He sighs again and passes a hand over his face. Then he hisses. The burn hurts like a motherfucker.]_ ...fine. _[This is going to be a mess, he already knows it – he can feel it, the idea of having Ariel's hands on himself makes him impatient and needy as hell.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He rewards him – or kills him, you choose – with a little smile.]_

**Daniel:** _[This is hell. He looks away and squeezes his eyes and does something he never does – he thinks about Beverly. He concentrates on her, feeling the pain of leaving her over and over again, all the way to the infirmary, while he waits for Ariel to get the pomade and then all the way back to the bedroom.]_

**Ariel:** _[He enters the bedroom and drops the bow on an armchair with one hand, he's got the jar of pomade in the other and he's studying it.]_ No list of ingredients, no instructions, that is what I always wonder while I read fantasy books. How are you not messing your medications every time if there are never instructions on them?

 **Daniel:** [Groans.] Maybe we're dreaming. Then it doesn't have to make sense. _[He gets closer to the bed and, as he walks towards it, he takes off the reinforced leather vest he wore on top of his clothes, and that served him absolutely nothing. Underneath, his shirt is burnt all over, and he takes it off in slow movements, hissing in pain all the while, his lean muscles flexing with every gesture he makes.]_

 **Ariel:** I don't know, you usually wake up when you get hurt... _[He turns around and sees him without his shirt.]_ ...in dreams. _[He clears his throat. Right, maybe they are dreaming, and Daniel is just the perfect eye candy. He has a thing for blonde men, after all.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He sits down on the edge of the bed, groaning in pain, and then he looks at him and swallows.]_ Are you coming closer?

 **Ariel:** _[He raises an eyebrow.]_ Is that a question or...? _[He mentally calls himself an idiot. His brain just stops working whenever this guy is around, and it's so easy – so freaking easy – to slip into playful mood with him, that he can't help it. And also he wants it, desperately. Master Jules always says that Ariel's body is way more receptive than Ariel himself is, and this is the perfect example.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He sighs, his eyes locking with Ariel's. He keeps quiet for a second, and when he speaks he does it with a different voice.]_ Come closer.

 **Ariel:** _[He walks to him, holding the jar in both hands, then he kicks off his shoes and climbs on the bed, sitting behind him but so close that one of his feet is right next to Daniel's thigh.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He hunches his back a little, extending his shoulder, showing him the wound.]_ How bad does it look, really?

 **Ariel:** Mmh... It's nasty. _[He touches the skin all around it, very careful not to touch the burn.]_ It's going to burn, then blister, then pop, then finally peel.

 **Daniel:** That sounds disgusting. _[Makes a face, but then he closes his eyes and exhales. Ariel's fingers on his skin feel like a blessing.]_ Put that thing on me, come on.

 **Ariel:** That sounds way funnier than what it is going to feel. _[He scoops up a generous amount of pomade with his hand and he starts applying it to the burn very carefully.]_

 **Daniel:** _[Snorts bitterly.]_ You're not helping. _[Then he leans into his touch a little, looking down with half-closed eyes.]_ Why did you say that thing, before? About scars?

 **Ariel:** Scars tell stories. _[He covers his burn with the pomade meticulously.]_ They are good conversation starters, and sometimes they are a great look on certain people. _[He leans in a little, but without touching him.]_ And by the time this one is healed, it is going to be in a very good spot.

 **Daniel:** _[He can feel Ariel's breath on his oversensitive skin, and it's already making him spiral. He swallows and forces himself not to look at him.]_ Good for what?

 **Ariel:** Look at. _[He makes a little pause and then he decides... why not?]_ To trace with your fingers, your lips...

 **Daniel:** _[He closes his fists around the sheets, hard enough to turn his knuckles white.]_ You'd like that. _[He speaks with a dark, heavy voice.]_ Wouldn't you?

 **Ariel:** _[His whole body tenses, alert. He can feel Daniel's vibes, but he wants to be sure of what he's reading into them.]_ I would.

 **Daniel:** _[His stomach is somersaulting, and he's getting hard at the mere thought of it. Ariel hasn't even touched him, and he's already completely out of control. That's so fucking similar to what would always happen with Bev it's almost scary.]_ You're killing me.

 **Ariel:** _[He rests his forehead against Daniel's good shoulder, his nose pressed against his skin.]_ I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be murderous.

 **Daniel:** You're a liar too. _[He leans into that touch like it was water in a desert, exhaling deeply.]_ I can't stop thinking about you.

 **Ariel:** _[He's dying to kiss him, but he can't bring himself to do it because he knows it would start things, so he keeps rubbing his face against his shoulder.]_ Is the thought of me so unbearable?

 **Daniel:** Yeah. Because every time I think about you, I wanna get close to you. And I can't do that. _[His voice is vibrating with strain and all the effort it takes him not to just turn towards him and pin him down on this bed.]_

 **Ariel:** _[No, he can't. And Ariel shouldn't want him either. He shouldn't be doing any of this, but it's the first time he ever feels like this with someone else that he doesn't know and that is not Julian, and it's confusing as hell.]_ I missed you.

 **Daniel:** _[This is just unbearable. He can't deal with this at all, his brain is completely off and it keeps feeding him majorly confusing shit. Just now, Ariel sounded exactly like Beverly did when Daniel stayed away from her a few days and then inevitably came crawling back. And yet Ariel is so completely different than Beverly that he gives Daniel the illusion that, by being with him, he could exorcise the thought of his sister from his mind, perhaps get rid of the pain that always comes with thinking about her, and it's such a tempting thought.]_ Don't say that.

 **Ariel:** _[He remains silent for a very long time, his face pressed against Daniel’s shoulder, his eyes closed. He's being unfair with Daniel and he knows it. He likes him, he likes him a lot, and he's teasing him despite the fact that Daniel is doing everything he can to behave – he's doing more for both of them than what Ariel is doing, and Ariel should know better, he should behave better. He sighs.]_ I can go, if you want.

 **Daniel:** _[He raises a hand and presses it hard against his face.]_ I don't want you to.

 **Ariel:** _[He smiles, sadly.]_ You don't want me to go, but I can't talk. _[Murmuring.]_ Can I stay if I am quiet?

 **Daniel:** _[He finally can't take any more of this, and he turns towards him, grabbing him by his wrist and pulling him in. As the jar filled with pomade rolls on the ground, pouring some of its content on the floor, he pushes Ariel down on the bed and kisses him furiously, pinning him against the mattress.]_ I don't want you quiet.

 **Ariel:** _[He kisses him back, his body adapting to Daniel's.]_ Tell me how you want me.

 **Daniel:** I want you noisy... _[He grunts against Ariel's neck as he slides down on it, covering his skin in heated kisses.]_ And messy... and naked... I'm dying to see you naked.

 **Ariel:** _[He grabs Daniel's head and pulls him up to look him in the eyes.]_ Tell me.

 **Daniel:** _[He looks at him and his lips quiver. He swallows and his hands move down Ariel's torso and hook around his waist for a moment, then they move up again, lifting his t-shirt up, and when his fingertips linger on his naked skin he's about to say it – undress – but he stops. He holds his breath and even though it fucking destroys him he removes his hands from him.]_ ... I can't.

 **Ariel:** _[He hesitates.]_ It doesn't... have to be a real order. _[It actually does. He knows that that it is what triggers him, but he doesn't want to make it even more awkward for him. Also, he knows why Daniel can't give himself to it, but he's hanging on to the very, very small chance that the reason is Ariel pushing him to order him around.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He leans in and touches Ariel's cheek with his thumb in small circles, speaking sadly to him.]_ You don't get it... giving you orders is not the issue. _[His thumb travels to Ariel's bottom lip and strokes it heavily, pushing it a little against Ariel's teeth.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He sighs and he tries to look away, but his eyes end up looking back at him again.]_ It's that I'm breaking my rules... and so are you.

 **Daniel:** _[He nods slowly and presses his forehead against Ariel's, whispering on his lips.]_ I want you so fucking much.

 **Ariel:** _[He wants to kiss him so badly, but he can't, can he? So he closes his lips around Daniel's lower lip just to taste him a little bit.]_ Maybe this is not the right time to tell you this has never happened to me before. I have never wanted... someone else.

 **Daniel:** _[He can't resist and he kisses him again. He knows he should just back off, let him go... but it's so fucking hard. He can't bring himself.]_ Are you saying it's my fault...? _[He closes his fingers hard around Ariel's hip, squeezing him tight enough to feel his hipbone.]_

 **Ariel:** Yes... _[He frowns, confused and then he kisses him again.]_ No, no, of course not. I mean that this is... the first time that happens.

 **Daniel:** _[He lets go of Ariel's hips and his hands start traveling up again, only this time they slip underneath Ariel's t-shirt and touch him up his chest, hungrily, curiously.]_ And what am I supposed to do about that?

 **Ariel:** _[His body arches underneath his fingers.]_ Don't run.

 **Daniel:** I have to. _[He squeezes him again, but his lips are already moving down Ariel's neck again, sucking at his skin, leaving tiny purple marks on it.]_ Shit... Ariel... I've gotta stop.

 **Ariel:** _[This is the first time Daniel really calls him by name in such an intimate situation, and it makes him shiver. He turns his head towards him, moaning softly.]_ Mh-mh, I know...

 **Daniel:** _[He presses his forehead against Ariel's and groans.]_ You're not helping... _[He keeps himself up on his knees on purpose, trying to keep his crotch as far away from Ariel's as he possibly can.]_

 **Ariel:** _[His eyes are lucid with lust as he smiles.]_ I'm sorry... _[He swallows.]_ You smell so nice.

 **Daniel:** I've just been burned alive, I smell like chicken in the oven. _[Sighs and finally opens his eyes again, looking at him.]_ I don't want you to leave this bed tonight. But we must stop this, now. And... and from tomorrow on we will do as though this never happened, and we'll be just friends again.

 **Ariel:** _[That is very sudden and it takes a moment for it to sink in.]_...right.

 **Daniel:** _[It costs him so much, but he takes his hands off him, completely, and lies down on the bed next to him, looking up at the ceiling. He breathes in and out slowly, trying to calm down. It's hell in his pants right now. He's in legit pain.]_ Are you disappointed?

 **Ariel:** A little... _[He sighs.]_ A lot, actually, I— I really like you, but I get it. It wouldn't make no sense, would it?

 **Daniel:** _[He sighs, turning on his side to look at him.]_ Yeah, and it wouldn't last anyway. You'll find your Master soon enough, and you don't wanna go back to him having to tell him you cheated on him while he was being kidnapped and held captive who knows where.

 **Ariel:** Mh-mh. _[He shakes his head.]_ Right now I only have to tell him that we kissed and made out and that you touched me.

 **Daniel:** _[Offers him a little smile.]_ And what's that gonna cost you?

 **Ariel:** I don't know, I've never— I've flirted, in the past, but this is different. _[He swallows.]_ I'll be tied and put on a leash for sure... the paddle, maybe? Or he will ignore me, he knows I hate it, so it's probably what I deserve.

 **Daniel:** _[He sighs and gets closer to him again. He wraps his arms around him and hugs him, clinging to him a little.]_ You don't like being ignored?

 **Ariel:** No. _[He snorts, relaxing in his arms.]_ I'm a very needy person. There, another reason why you should stay away from me.

 **Daniel:** _[Chuckles and speaks before thinking.]_ You remind me of my sister, sometimes.

 **Ariel:** That... _[Frowns.]_ that's flattering, I guess, and also killing the mood at the very same time. It's probably a new -zone. You just sisterzoned me.

 **Daniel:** _[He can't help but laugh, knowing that Ariel has no idea that being sisterzoned, in this specific situation, doesn't save him from being an object of desire for him.]_ Sorry. _[Chuckles, and then sighs again.]_ Are you sleeping here tonight?

 **Ariel:** _[He sighs, resigned.]_ You must be such a good guy, you always ask, right?

 **Daniel:** _[He smiles a little sadly.]_ I'm not good, Ariel. I'm trying, though.

 **Ariel:** Why do you keep saying that? That you're not good? That you don't deserve good things?

 **Daniel:** Because I don't. _[His voice sounds incredibly heavy for a moment, but then he lifts it up with a smile.]_ I'm trying my best with you, though. I keep failing, but I'll get better.

 **Ariel:** You haven't failed. _[He leans forward and leaves him a chaste kiss on his cheek.]_ And I'm sure you won't in the week we've got left.

 **Daniel:** _[He closes his eyes, receiving the kiss. He exhales and he wants to just turn and kiss him again on his lips so much it's almost shameful, but he's stronger than himself, and he doesn't.]_ Just one week. _[He rubs Ariel's inner wrist with his thumb, gently.]_ We can survive this. We can behave. I'm sure.

 **Ariel:** Sure, we can do that. And then... and then it's over, you get your diploma and go do great things with your ice sword, and I won't even be a thought in the back of your mind. _[He nods.]_ Easy as pie.

 **Daniel:** _[He doesn't think that's possible. Somehow Ariel managed to carve a spot for himself in his brain, and by the way he feels Daniel can already tell that's not gonna go away when they part ways. But saying that to Ariel would be pointless and cruel, so he chuckles and dodges the topic, pushing him a little.]_ Silly boy.

 **Ariel:** _[He chuckles and then he sighs.]_ We'll be fine. _[It doesn't feel like that, but he has to believe everything is going to be okay.]_

**Daniel:** _[He nods, choosing to believe in Ariel's words. Then he settles down next to him, and he closes his eyes.]_

**Ariel:** _[He watches him as he falls asleep. He waits for his breathing to slow down to stroke his hair, affectionately. He should stand up now and leave, make himself scarce until after the ceremony. Sever all ties now, before it gets stupid and painful. He has a Master, whom he loves. This... this is just loneliness and longing. He hasn't been without guidance for two years, he's just confused and disoriented, nothing more. And he can't lead Daniel on like this. Still, he can't move away. He'll step away tomorrow.]_

*

_[The morning after, they wake up still tangled, but Daniel kept his word. He didn't touch Ariel again and he played the part of the perfect but detached friend while they were going through their final theoretical tests._

_Ariel does the only thing he could do: he accepts what Daniel wants – which is the proper thing to do, he agrees with that – and acts as if nothing had happened. It’s not easy and it doesn’t make him feel good, but there are things you can have and things you can't and, as much as Ariel wants him, Daniel is something he cannot have._

_At some point during the last week, before the final exam, all the Explorers in training at Titania’s Academy were summoned by Miss Kaja to the auditorium, where she proceeded to explain them that their Explorer qualification, should they pass all their tests, allows them to cut short their academic education, as the major part of an Explorer training is done on the field. They were organizing expeditions as they spoke, and graduated Explorers would be sent to the new continent of A'cria in groups of two after the exam session was over. That was both relief and torture, for Daniel. On one side, knowing he will leave and that he won't see Ariel again is the safest option, he can appreciate that. On the other side, though... the mere idea of not seeing him again makes him feel gutted. He wanted something new, a new adventure to lead him anywhere else but home, and he was prepared to live that adventure on his own, but now he's not sure he wants to go wherever this new path may lead him without Ariel by his side._

_The news that they will be sent to A'cria in teams of two doesn't sit very well with Ariel either. He is not an extrovert, he doesn't like people that much, and he didn't make many friends at the Academy. In fact, he made no friends at all. So, the idea of travelling and working with a perfect stranger doesn't appeal to him at all. He would rather go alone. Actually, he'd appreciate if they could tell him something about Jules, because he's sure someone knows, but that isn't going to happen, is it? And now he can't even go with Daniel, so... The future doesn't seem so bright._

_B_ _e as it may, there is nothing they can do about what's going to happen: their path seems to be set, at this point, and they both pass their final tests successfully. The graduation ceremony is pretty sober, all considered: all the Explorers are gathered in the auditorium again, they're presented to the rest of the students of the Academy and they're all given a medallion that attests their state and makes them recognizable, together with a very fancy diploma. After that, Principal Flowerbloom announces that there's going to be a great party tonight in the Academy gardens, to celebrate their graduation, and that all students are invited. There's gonna be magical food, magical drinks... and wouldn't it be better if the drinks where non-alcoholic, principal Flowerbloom?, miss Kaja asks, but the principal answers with a loud NONSENSE, and all the students rejoice._

_Ariel is not sure he wants to go to the party. He has nothing to celebrate. He's surely proud of the medallion and the diploma. He earned them, so he's proud of himself, no matter how very little he understands of the reason why he should get them in the first place. But he's not supposed to drink again and he's not exactly the kind of person who chats people up, so... But the alternative option is to remain in his room and Daniel could be there too, and he can't risk that. Even though he would give away both medallion and diploma to wake up all tangled in his arms again. So, going it is._

_Daniel, instead, sets his mind on going to the party right away. Drinking is a habit – a bad one – he had, back home. After Bev got hurt and had to quit fencing and things became messy between them, they used to drink a lot together. Alcohol numbed the pain, made borders blurry, easy to cross, which was exactly what they needed in their frenzied madness. Drunkenness is a state of mind he always goes to when he feels like shit, and he definitely feels like shit now, despite the glory and the applause. So he dresses up for the party and he gets there early on, and he immediately starts drinking the nice drink they're serving at one of the tables, a deep blue liquid, vaguely smelling of candy, incredibly sweet to the taste but with a bitter echo on the tongue that becomes addictive very early in the night. He keeps getting more servings of that and eats nothing, and by midnight he's already out of his mind, even though he holds his liquor well and his drunkenness doesn't show much._

_Ariel shows up around that time. It took him a little bit of convincing himself to actually go. First he wasn't sure Daniel was going to be in his room, then when he realized Daniel wasn't there, it took him a while to decide what to wear. He doesn't have his usual clothes with him, but he discovered that there's a magic sort of wardrobe in this place, which is what they use for having the right equipment for any kind of people – mushroom girls and wolves, much? – at any given time without having seamstresses working around the clock. So, he asked it for a pair of black skinny jeans and a black shirt. It's nothing fancy, but it's what he would have worn at home, and it's nice to have something familiar. He did his hair too, combining and styling his messy curls properly._

_Since he doesn't want to drink, this time, he decides he can eat. Everything. He shouldn't do that either, but he can always work out more tomorrow. So, by the time Daniel is starting to get drunk, Ariel is halfway through the food table.]_

**Daniel:** _[He's still drinking, it must be his tenth or eleventh glass, and he's leaning against the sturdy trunk of an old oak decorated with ghost lights twinkling in the foliage, when he turns and he sees Ariel, and his eyes zero in on him immediately. His body, fueled by alcohol, reacts right away, and the tension he has learned to consider familiar whenever they're sharing the same space comes back to him fast. He really likes him a lot – which is somewhat puzzling to him, for more than one reason. He never thought he'd like anyone else beside Beverly, first of all, and even if he could envision himself ever falling for someone else, he never thought it'd be a boy. Much less a boy into BDSM, which he never believed to be his thing. The mere fact that he would be crushing so hard for him is completely baffling, his brain can't process it, let alone when he's drunk.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He tries some little bright green meatballs that taste like heaven, and that opens a completely new world of tastes to him. After testing a little bit of everything in the first table, he moves to the second. He and another boy reach together for what looks like linguine, except that they are strawberry red. He looks up and chuckles at him.]_

 **Boy:** _[He chuckles too.]_ Please, go on. I've had these a thousand times already.

 **Daniel:** _[He sees him interact with the boy, and the first thing he does, even if he knows it's nonsensical, is frowning, annoyed.]_

 **Ariel:** Oh, an expert. Great! I have no idea what I'm eating. What are those and what do they taste like?

 **Boy:** That's the actual taste of Anarea's clouds. _[The boy smiles.]_ Have you been to Anarea?

 **Daniel:** _[He empties out his glass, and moves away from the tree in slow steps.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He puts a forkful in his mouth and actually moans in pleasure.]_ Mhn... I have no idea where that is, but this is wonderful.

 **Daniel:** _[With a dark voice, from behind him.]_ You having fun?

 **Ariel:** _[He's actually surprised to hear his voice and he blinks a couple of times as he turns around.]_ Oh, Daniel. Hi. He, uh, was telling me about this place, Anarea.

 **Daniel:** Mh. _[He lets his eyes wander over the other boy. Their usual warm, clear blue, is icy cold, tonight.]_ You've been there?

 **Boy:** Ah... yes, sure. It's— It's actually where I'm from. It's an isle north of here, very small, but we have the best coconuts in the Polyverse, and—

 **Daniel:** Yeah, why don't you run back there, since no one wants you here?

 **Boy:** _[He freezes on the spot, surprised by his words.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He frowns, taking a step back.]_ What is wrong with you?

 **Boy:** I'll... _[swallows]_ I'll leave you to it. _[He discreetly scuttles away.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He looks him up and down, longing desperately for him.]_ I'm drunk. _[He admits it plainly. He's completely uncapable of dishonesty.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He nods, taking the information in.]_ Yes, that much is clear.

 **Daniel:** _[He keeps looking at him in a shameless way. He's never been so open and out with his wanting. That's the alcohol possessing him, clearly.]_ Don't you wanna drink? That blue thing's amazing.

 **Ariel:** _[He puts a small cake-like pink thing in his mouth.]_ You know I'm not supposed to drink.

 **Daniel:** Yeah, you also said that you could make exceptions. For the right reason.

 **Ariel:** _[He takes a very deep breath in order to calm himself down before turning to look at him.]_ Did something happen?

 **Daniel:** Don't you know? _[He leans in and grabs two glasses filled with blue liquid, one for Ariel, one more for himself.]_ We graduated. We're gonna leave in a matter of days.

 **Ariel:** _[He grabs the glass and fiddles with it.]_ Yes, that sounds... exciting. _[But he sounds anything but excited.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He sees that, and it makes his stomach cave in on itself. He's unhappy, Daniel can tell. Possibly as unhappy as he himself is. This sucks so bad.]_ We won't see each other again, when they ship us elsewhere. You should be happy. It means you'll be safe.

 **Ariel:** _[It pains him that Daniel thinks of himself as a danger. By the way he talks, it seems like he thinks he's the only one responsible for what happened – or not happened between them – but he's well aware that it is not true.]_ As safe as I'll ever be fighting creatures far away from a person I killed a dragon with. I'm probably going to be dead in a week. So you can certainly say I will be safe as I won't be in any kind of danger or place anymore.

 **Daniel:** _[He blinks slowly, looking at him.]_ You won't die. You're strong. I'm not worried about that. And... _[He looks down.]_ Once you've left this nonsense behind your back, you can start searching for your Master again. You'll find him, and you'll be happy.

 **Ariel:** Mhn. _[He nods, his lips pressed together.]_ If he is here somewhere. As far as I know, he could be on a beach somewhere in Cuba with a harem of better subs than I am.

 **Daniel:** _[He looks at him intently, licking his lips, tasting the bittersweet taste of his drink.]_ I doubt he could find them, even if he searched the whole universe for them.

 **Ariel:** _[He looks up and smiles a little.]_ Thanks. It's a lie, but you're nice.

 **Daniel:** _[His fingers clutch around the plastic glass he's holding, which caves in a little.]_ I'm not lying. And I'm not nice. _[He sighs and comes closer, leaning on his shoulder with his forehead, closing his eyes despite how much his head starts spinning the moment he does.]_ Who was that guy?

 **Ariel:** _[He remains still, not knowing exactly what is going on and, as every time he doesn't know that, he waits.]_ I don't know, we reached out for the same plate at the same time and we started chatting. I asked him what did that thing taste like, he seemed to know what he was talking about.

 **Daniel:** _[He groans, bringing his hands around Ariel's waist.]_ I'm fucked up in the head. What right do I have to be jealous about people you're just talking with...?

 **Ariel:** _[He mellows instantly, which is undignified and against all he sworn he would be, but see if he cares. He combs Daniel's hair back, tenderly.]_ Well, you have left your mark on me before he could even think of leaving one, if he was ever going to do that. You have priority.

 **Daniel:** _[He groans and his arms close around Ariel's waist, bringing him closer, feeling him against himself.]_ Are they still there...? _[He nuzzles his neck, trying to move away the collar of his shirt and see his hickeys underneath.]_

 **Ariel:** _[Softly.]_ They are. _[He's got two over the line of his metal collar and one under it. Daniel avoided the collar, unconsciously or not, but the collar, being metal, is a bit loose, not to choke him, so Daniel can push it up with his nose and it moves.]_

 **Daniel:** _[And that Daniel does, uncovering the hickeys, half-hidden underneath. He sees the bruises and he groans again, leaning in and closing his lips around one of them in a wet, a little sloppy kiss.]_ I can't even think about the fact that I won't see you again in a matter of days.

 **Ariel:** _[He tilts his head, giving him access.]_ I thought you wanted to act as if nothing had happened.

 **Daniel:** I wanted to. _[He moves up Ariel's neck, covering it in kisses.]_ And I tried. But I can't stay away from you. _[He moves back and locks eyes with him. His eyes are a little unfocused and glistening thanks to the alcohol, but he's present. He's there.]_ If this is the last time I see you, I don't wanna leave without having you. At least once. One fucking time to take with me.

 **Ariel:** _[His heart starts beating faster and a voice in his head just screams: "run!". Yet, the rest of the chorus is singing "shalala, kiss the boy", but in French, because that is how he heard it several times last time, studying the language.]_ So, just to make things clear, you want to shag me. Once.

 **Daniel:** _[He groans and collapses against Ariel's shoulder again.]_ Do you need me to spell it out every single time?

 **Ariel:** _[Daniel is asking and he could say no. He should say no. Because he's taken, because this is just need and lust, because he doesn't even know him. But he wants him and he has never so totally wanted anything like this ever in his life.]_ Alright.

 **Daniel:** _[He swallows, looking back up at him. He reaches out and closes his hand around Ariel's, tugging at it.]_ Come with me. _[And with that, he starts leading him back towards the dorm.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He walks right after him, looking around to see if anybody noticed that they are basically speed walking away from the party.]_ Daniel, I'm not going to disappear come the twelfth stroke. We can take it slow.

 **Daniel:** _[He barely waits to be in the dorm building, to throw him against a wall. The next second he's on him, covering his lips with his own in a heated kiss, pressing him against the wall and against himself at the same time.]_ You're assuming I can afford to take it slow. I can't.

 **Ariel:** _[Daniel's lips on his short-circuit his brain and, suddenly, he can't be bothered with any other thought that is not them having sex.]_ Fine. Fast is good too.

 **Daniel:** _[He growls loudly, thrusting hard up against him. They're shrouded by the darkness of the empty hallway, but they're in public, still. This doesn't bother him, though. Bev trained him well, in the past, he was always ready to come at her, whenever she needed him, may them be in the secret of their bedroom or in the middle of the school while all the other students were taking classes.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He gives him another open-mouthed kiss and then he bites at his chin playfully.]_ You said you wanted sex, not putting up a show.

 **Daniel:** _[Groans and pulls away from him, unwillingly, walking backwards and carrying him along.]_ You complaining?

 **Ariel:** ...n-no.

 **Daniel:** Good. _[He drags him up to the bedroom, and then he pushes him through the door, letting it close behind himself as he marches in. He's just about to descend upon him again when he suddenly stops and stares at him for a moment. Then something in his attitude changes, and he seems to slow down. He stands up straight, in a relaxed pose, and looks at him intently.]_ Take off your clothes. All of them.

 **Ariel:** _[He stops and looks at him. Daniel didn't ask like the previous two times. He... ordered, which is definitely an improvement. And also something that pushes very specific buttons inside of him. He takes a few steps back and he takes off his shirt, revealing his pale, defined chest and his flat stomach.]_

 **Daniel:** _[To his own surprise, he enjoys that. Beverly never did one thing he asked of her. They were both uncontrollable and they wanted mad, messed up things, both of them, but she was the bossy one between them. She ordered, Daniel complied. It feels fucking nice to say something and see it done – and Ariel looks gorgeous, his every movement is mesmerizing. He sits down on a chair, swallowing as he watches him undress.]_

**Ariel:** _[He's always looking at him, trying to catch every movement or every change in his expression. He unbuttons his pants very slowly, a tiny pause after every button, revealing the black of his boxers and the bulge inside of it. Then he pulls them down and steps out of them. He's lean, but not skinny, his whole body is defined by bow practice and the regular working out.]_

**Daniel:** _[He swallows again, his eyes landing on Ariel's crotch.]_ Slower... slower, now.

**Ariel:** _[He hooks his fingers on the elastic band and pulls the boxers down slowly, only one inch at the time.]_

**Daniel:** _[He licks his lips, his eyes glued on him.]_ Show me your ass.

 **Ariel:** _[He turns around, feeling a little awkward but not enough to stop.]_ Nice view?

 **Daniel:** Fuck yes. _[He exhales, letting go of control for a second and showing his inexperience in that. He moistens his lips again and then he stands up, walking towards him. He stops less than an inch behind him and immediately places his hands on his thighs, letting them slide up to his waist and then on the front of his torso, down between his abs and following the imaginary line that, moving past his navel, leads him to Ariel's cock, which he touches lightly, almost teasingly.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He leans against Daniel's chest and hooks his arm around his neck, turning to search for another kiss.]_ What do you want me to do?

 **Daniel:** _[He backs away, refusing him that kiss, for the moment, while he wraps his fingers around Ariel's cock and starts stroking him slowly.]_ First you gotta tell me your safe word.

 **Ariel:** _[He moans softly and chuckles.]_ Good, you know about those. _[In French]_ Césure.

 **Daniel:** I told you, this is pretty normal where I'm from... _[He rubs the tip of his nose against Ariel's as he keeps stroking him, changing the pace to move a little slower, teasing him more than giving him pleasure.]_ Is it the one you use with him?

 **Ariel:** _[He nods quickly.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He takes a little pause and thinks for a moment – should he say this? But then he can't help himself.]_ Then I don't want you to use it with me. _[He starts stroking him again, leaning in and rubbing his nose down his neck and shoulder, rubbing himself against him from behind, making him feel the raw texture of his pants fabric against his skin._ ] Give me another.

 **Ariel:** _[This is so wrong on so many levels, but as anything bad, it feels incredibly good too. Certainly using Jules' safe word would be more disrespectful than giving him a new one. He can find another one, just for tonight. Just for this one night.]_ Uh... _[Speaking in French again]_ Glace... Like your sword.

 **Daniel:** _[The idea that Ariel would use his sword as his safe word immediately turns him on more than it probably should. He inhales and exhales heavily and just as heavily he presses himself up against him from behind, giving in to a little playful smile.]_ Yeah, you like my sword?

 **Ariel:** _[He smiles too.]_ Both of them.

 **Daniel:** Yeah? _[He presses his whole face against Ariel's nape and then bites him slowly but quite hard.]_ Would you like to touch it?

**Ariel:** _[He hisses a little and then turns around in his arms, hands reaching down to unbutton Daniel's pants.]_

**Daniel:** _[His hands immediately run down to Ariel's wrists and he stops him right away, making him lift his arms.]_ I didn't say you could.

 **Ariel:** _[He whines a little, and in whining, he starts pleading him with tiny hungry kisses along his neck.]_ Please, let me see it… and touch it...

 **Daniel:** _[His whole experience about sex is reduced to Beverly, and she never acted like this. This is something completely new that feels ridiculously good. Ariel smells unreal and feels even better, and the sound of his begging, needy voice is driving him crazy. He squeezes his wrists harder for a second, then lets go of only one of them.]_ Take my dick out.

 **Ariel:** Yes... _[He keeps kissing him as he fumbles with the pants and then he looks down because he wants to see what he's holding in his hand as the feeling of it is not enough.]_ It's big... _[He kisses him a little messily, but he doesn't care.]_ I like it...

 **Daniel:** _[Scoffs a little, raising one of his hands to hold Ariel's chin between his fingers, making him part his lips wider only to kiss him even more shamelessly, licking the inside of his lips and then sucking on his tongue.]_ No flattery. We don't need them. I already wanna fuck you stupid.

 **Ariel:** But I do like it... _[He licks his lips and then he kisses him again as he plays with his cock, stroking him.]_ I like the length of it... _[He passes his thumb over the head.]_ ...the shape of it... _[He looks at him.]_ …and I'm sure it tastes good too.

 **Daniel:** _[At Ariel's words, Daniel's cock twitches a little in his hand.]_ You wanna try?

 **Ariel:** I don't know... _[He stops kissing him.]_ Do I have to?

 **Daniel:** _[He brings his lips back on Ariel's, kissing him hard, biting at his bottom lip and then sucking it in his own mouth.]_ Tell me that you want it.

 **Ariel:** _[He likes the way Daniel's voice just drops whenever he lets himself give orders. Oh, the wonderful things he would do if they had more time. He looks at him, his face anything but innocent.]_ I want to suck your cock. _[Smirks.]_ Can I, please?

 **Daniel:** _[He swallows, completely lost on that face and in those eyes. He nods weakly, but he finds himself back again quickly.]_ Get down on your knees and show me what you've got. _[He takes a little pause and then adds.]_ Ariel.

 **Ariel:** _[The way his own name just rolls on Daniel's tongue makes his legs weak. He gets down on his knees and he looks at Daniel's cock almost with devotion before giving it a slow, long lick along his length, letting it slide on his face as he does that.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He shivers at the sight and holds his own cock at its base to push it harder against Ariel's cheek and lips.]_ Take it in. Now. You make me wait any longer, you won't like the consequences.

 **Ariel:** _[But there is nothing he wants more than to see those consequences, to see what Daniel can do, so he shakes his head and just moves the tip of his tongue on it.]_

 **Daniel:** Ariel. _[He frowns and calls his name in a scolding voice, pushing his cock against Ariel's lips.]_ Behave. _[But there are butterflies in his stomach now, he fully expects Ariel to fight back again.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He looks up, his lips sealed this time. He shakes his head again.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He slips his thumb past Ariel's lips, forcing them open, and then just shoves his dick in his mouth, making it hit the back of Ariel's throat. He has no idea how Ariel's body will react to that, but he does it nonetheless.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He wasn't expecting that and so he chokes on it. He backs off, a trail of saliva from his lips to the head of Daniel's cock. He frowns at him, but the mere idea that Daniel just went for it has set him on fire. He didn't ask and he didn't order, he took his mouth, which is the kind of possessiveness he could get used to, especially when he misbehaves, as he needs a strong hand. So he goes for it again and this time, knowing it, he can easily slide his whole length in.]_

 **Daniel:** _[Seeing him choke on his cock did something to him, something that made his cock twitch again. When Ariel goes down on him, he can't help but thrust in his mouth once more, moving past his lips and then backing off, and then forward again, fucking his mouth slowly.]_ Good... _[Swallows]_ Good boy.

**Ariel:** _[He moans a thank you that vibrates around Daniel's cock as he follows his pace and goes with it. He swirls his tongue around his cock, sucking on it, moving his head up and down, his eyes glued to Daniel's.]_

**Daniel:** _[If Ariel keeps looking at him like that, he's not gonna let him suck on that cock for long. He still tries and contain himself, though, even if alcohol rushing through his veins makes it fucking hard. He takes off his t-shirt in a swift movement that leaves his blonde wavy hair all messed up on his head, and then he throws it away, standing there half nakes, showing that his sports-shaped body has made a comeback thanks to the training here at the Academy.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He reaches up immediately, feeling his abs and chest with his fingertips.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He pants a little, moving in his mouth, shivering at the touch of his fingertips. He hasn't fucked in over a year and he's getting restless, so he grabs Ariel's chin again and keeps him still as he pulls back, withdrawing from his mouth.]_ Stop now.

 **Ariel:** _[He sits back on his heels, licking his swollen lips. He could say something very dirty to him now, but he doesn't know if Daniel would like that. Besides, he wants to be ordered to, or it's not worth it, isn't it? So he stays put, like the good boy he is.]_ Was I good?

 **Daniel:** You were. _[He keeps panting as he rubs his thumb against Ariel's bottom lip.]_ How did it taste?

 **Ariel:** _[He tilts his chin up and shows him his tongue.]_ Do you want to taste it yourself?

 **Daniel:** _[That truly makes him lose it. He gets down on his knees and pins Ariel down to the ground, kissing him voraciously, mouth wide open, tongue thrusting hard in his mouth.]_ You're riling me up. _[He growls in the back of his throat and moves down on him, heavily.]_ Don't do it. I can be savage.

 **Ariel:** _[He responds to his kisses with the same hunger, but he shakes his head.]_ This sounds like begging to me. _[He presses his face against Daniel's.]_ Make me do what you want. I'm yours tonight.

 **Daniel:** _[He growls again and he pulls away just to turn him around on the floor, making him lie down on his stomach. He makes him lie down flat on the floor and then straddles him, making him close his legs tightly.]_ Keep them closed. And your ass tight.

 **Ariel:** _[Now, that's better. He does as he's being told, curious about what Daniel has in mind.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He obviously doesn't have protection with himself, which he should've mentioned earlier. He groans and passes his hand down the curve of Ariel's spine.]_ Do you have a condom?

 **Ariel:** _[He suddenly realizes that he doesn't and this could mean the end of this, and if that happens he's going to cry in frustration. He rests his head on the ground with a thudding sound.]_ I didn't have them in my pajamas when I was magically transported here by whatever.

 **Daniel:** _[He groans and he leans in, covering his nape in little hungry kisses. In the movement, he pushes his cock between his buttocks and lets it slide there, up and down the crease, barely brushing against his opening with his wet and slick shaft.]_ I'm clean. If you trust me, I trust you.

 **Ariel:** Ngh… _[Shit, this is wrong, isn’t it? Is he making a mistake? There are rules, right? First of all, be safe. Nothing is worth the risk. Not a good kisser, not a good body, not the gift of the gods that is rubbing his cock against his ass right now. And yet…]_ Alright, I trust you.

 **Daniel:** _[He nods and kisses his neck again.]_ Thanks. _[Then he stands on his knees again, and he keeps Ariel's buttocks well pressed together. He wants as much friction, from this, as much resistance as he can. This is their first time. It's also going to be the last. He wants to leave him with something, and he wants to get something from this, that's going to be unforgettable. So he pushes the tip of his cock against Ariel's opening and he slowly, slowly, slowly starts to thrust in against the heavy pressure of his buttocks pressed together both by Ariel’s legs shut closed and his hands, and his tightened muscles.]_ Shit... fuck...

 **Ariel:** Fuck... _[He hides his face in his arms, hissing. His legs twitch and he moves them, trying to ease the pressure a little.]_

 **Daniel:** No. _[He stops immediately, even though he's panting. He knows what he wants, there's no settling for less to scrap as much pleasure as he can by messing around, this time.]_ Obey. _[This time he doesn't even give him the alternative of being punished, because he doesn't want Ariel to chase the punishment instead, he just wants him to do as he's told.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He pulls his legs back together as Daniel wants as a shiver runs through him. Daniel has a lot to learn on this, but he also has a natural talent. The mere thought of how it could be with him makes him shiver.]_

 **Daniel:** _[Only when he sees he's being obeyed again, he starts thrusting in him again, only moving forward, as though Ariel was bottomless.]_ I want you to take it all, Ari... _[He slips the nickname in without even thinking about it, without planning it, while he moves inside him with his eyes closed, his eyelashes only fluttering every now and then.]_ Up to my balls.

 **Ariel:** _[He bites down at his lip again, drawing a little blood.]_ I will. God, you feel so good...

 **Daniel:** _[He nods vaguely, moving onward and then finally stopping when he's completely sheathed inside his body.]_ Fuck... you too. You feel... better than I imagined you. _[He swallows and pants a little, and then he starts moving in little circles inside him, making room for himself, loosening up what he himself keeps tightening with both his hands and by keeping Ariel's legs well closed.]_ Tell me how it feels.

 **Ariel:** I... _[moans]_ It's intense and... good, bloody good. You're filling me up.

 **Daniel:** _[He doesn't let go of his buttocks for a second, but he does start withdrawing. Just barely, just a little, only to thrust forward again, and it's hard, and demanding, and deep enough that their skins slap together.]_ Shit— you're so fucking tight, Ari... _[He licks his lips and then leans in, drawing wet circles on his nape with the tip of his tongue.]_ You gonna stay still for me now. Very still, okay?

 **Ariel:** _[It's hard to do when all he wants is to slip a hand underneath his body and touch himself or rub himself on the floor, but he nods, concentrating on the fact that he's giving Daniel what he wants, that he seems satisfied, and that gives him reason to keep doing it.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He leans in and whispers in his ear as he moves slowly but steadily inside of him, searching for the right angle, for the right spot to hit.]_ I won't touch you. And you won't touch yourself. I'm gonna make you come with my dick. You give me a second and I will make you scream. _[While he moves, and as his hands move all over Ariel's body, his arms, his back, his ass, he grows more and more confident, finding himself again on his skin, becoming again the boy who used to make his sister scream and pant and writhe and beg for more in their bed, in the closet, on the bathroom floor.]_

 **Ariel:** _[This is incredibly good and incredibly frustrating, and so it’s even better.]_ Daniel, please... no... ngh... God... let me... let me touch myself...

 **Daniel:** No. _[He moves a little faster, and then he angles his dick upwards as he thrusts in harder one more time.]_

 **Ariel:** Please, I— _[A moan deeper than the others just explodes out of his mouth. The entire world just goes white for a second.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He lets the ghost of a smile show up on his lips, and now that he found the spot he starts literally hammering on it, hard and fast and very sudden, pinning him down on the ground.]_ You were saying...?

 **Ariel:** _[He's reduced to moans and yes and gods and...]_ Please, harder, sir!

 **Daniel:** _[He sees no reason not to comply with that plead – after all, he tortured him enough. So he decides he had enough of the playing, and he just starts fucking like the beast he used to be with Beverly, just reaching deeper, moving faster, relentlessly attacking his body, pushing all the buttons he knows how to find and that he wants to push, hungry, thirsty for pleasure as he is.]_ Yes... yes, fuck, God— yes!

 **Ariel:** _[This is a different Daniel than the one he has known so far, even different than the one who almost had sex with him twice. This Daniel is wilder and more out of control, freer and angrier and more powerful, and he likes all those things on top of all the others, of the sweetness he has seen, of all the worry and bravery. To be more perfect, Daniel should only have come at another moment in his life. He swallows all this down as he feels his orgasm mounting, he feels his body tense, his pleasure pushing him to the edge.]_ Daniel... uhn... I...

 **Daniel:** _[He leans in on him and he doesn't even change the pace at which he's moving, it feels like the god of sex itself is guiding his movements, like he's giving his all to it, not just his body and mind and heart, but his very soul.]_ I wanna see you come, Ari... show me how you come.

 **Ariel:** _[At this point that's just the natural conclusion. He can feel it coming, Daniel pushing him a little more towards it with every thrust, until he passes the edge and he comes hard, his whole body singing.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He feels that – he feels himself getting squeezed in by Ariel's muscles, and that forces a strangled noise out of him as he comes too, the first shot landing inside him, and then he pulls away and releases the rest of his come all over Ariel's buttocks and his back, covering him in come.]_ Fuck— nh...

 **Ariel:** _[He groans, but he doesn't move because he's still shaking and sore all over, blissfully happy because he hasn't come down yet.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He collapses down on Ariel's body, making a mess out of himself too. He breathes heavily, wrapping his arms around his waist, pulling him closer. He thought this would be closure, but now he feels even less prepared to let go of him than he was before, and what's worse – drunkenness slipped away while they were fucking, and he's completely sober now, which will make what comes after even harder.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He's a little scared of doing anything right now. Is cuddling okay or... Is this it? They did what they wanted to do and now it's done? Is it over?]_ ...are you feeling okay?

 **Daniel:** _[He presses his face against Ariel's back and then, scared to weigh too much on him, he falls on his side and brings him with himself, still hugging him tight from behind.]_ No.

 **Ariel:** _[He sighs.]_ Wasn't good as you thought?

 **Daniel:** It was amazing. _[He tightens his grip around him.]_ I have no fucking idea how I'm ever gonna let you go.

 **Ariel:** _[He strokes his arm with his fingertips.]_ Maybe I don't want you to let go.

 **Daniel:** _[He sighs and lets him go slowly, allowing him to lie down on his back. He, instead, still lies on his side, one elbow propped up on the floor, his head leaning against his open palm.]_ I'm not in the business of stealing people from the ones they love.

 **Ariel:** _[He's extremely emotional right now and he shouldn't be having this conversation.]_ ...we met at the wrong time.

 **Daniel:** _[Truer words have never been spoken. He reaches out and strokes Ariel's cheek, his index and middle finger hesitating right underneath his earlobe while his thumb follows the curve of his cheekbone.]_ Five years ago. That would've been the right time for me. Before... before life fucked everything up. But we missed that. And you're in love with someone else, anyway. _[He offers him a little smile.]_ You'll forget about me. And it's okay.

 **Ariel:** _[He knows Daniel's right but he's sad and so Daniel is also irritating too.]_ There is something called aftercare and you're flunking it.

 **Daniel:** _[He stops stroking his cheek and he withdraws a little. Ariel was a bit aggressive and he was not prepared for that.]_ ... I'm sorry. What... What do you need?

 **Ariel:** _[You. I need you right now.]_ Not telling me that I will forget you, that'd be a good start.

 **Daniel:** _[He's tense, now, and he removes his hand from Ariel's body. Sure, he might know about BDSM, it might be mainstream where he lives, but there are notions that he doesn't know, and aftercare, yes, he knows, generally, that it exists as a practice, but what it entails, that he doesn't know.]_ Fine, what do you want me to tell you, then?

 **Ariel:** _[When Daniel moves away, his stomach contracts painfully, making his voice sensibly shaky.]_ C—Can we postpone this conversation a little longer?

 **Daniel:** _[That shake in Ariel's voice makes him feel guilty, even if now he feels nervous.]_ Jesus, Ari... _[Now his mouth is getting used to that pet name, and he keeps using it without minding it too much.]_ I— I don't wanna fuck things up.

 **Ariel:** Then don't. _[He's the one getting a little closer.]_ You've been ordering me around for two hours, just give a moment, alright?

 **Daniel:** ... _[He sighs, his hand landing on him once again right away, feeling his hip and then up his waist. He likes him so much, he can't freaking keep his hands off him.]_ Okay. Sorry if I upset you. I was just trying to say—I loved this. You... you're amazing.

 **Ariel:** _[He hugs him, hiding his face in Daniel's neck, looking for his warmth.]_ You're amazing too.

 **Daniel:** _[He feels the need to answer him that he really isn't, but that would lead to an unpleasant conversation, and Ariel just made really clear he absolutely doesn't want that. So he keeps it quiet and strokes his curly hair, passing his fingers through his locks.]_ Thanks... _[He clears his throat.]_ Um— how do I do this aftercare thing, exactly?

 **Ariel:** _[He sighs, trying to find the right words.]_ After a scene, I need help coming out of it. It's— a mental state, where I'm okay with receiving orders and be controlled, but I need to get out of it, knowing that I'm okay, that everything's okay. I need cuddles and warmth and... _[He lowers his voice.]_ You not pushing me away just because we only have until morning.

 **Daniel:** ... right. _[He sighs and he leaves a kiss on top of Ariel's head, squeezing him a little closer.]_ I didn't know that. Sorry. It's... it's all okay. And you're okay, I promise. This was awesome. And you made me really happy. I'm... I'm very satisfied with you. _[He puts two fingers underneath Ariel's chin and tries to make him look up.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He does look up and he realizes that he just asked a perfect stranger to take care of him. That is why casual banging has never worked for him. He was a trainwreck of a teen until Julian came around and now he's better, but still kind of a trainwreck sometimes.]_ I'm... sorry, I'm just a mess after. You don't need to do this.

 **Daniel:** No, it's okay. I like it. _[He smiles gently. He looks and feels completely different than he looked and felt while they were having sex, much softer, much more careful.]_ You were gorgeous, you know? All through it. And you voice, shit— you sounded so hot all through the begging.

 **Ariel:** _[He smiles, a little calmer.]_ Can I ask you something?

 **Daniel:** Sure. _[Nods, smiling at him.]_

 **Ariel:** Had you ever been with a guy before?

 **Daniel:** _[He actually blushes, looking away.]_ What— What kind of a question is that... why do you wanna know?

 **Ariel:** _[Shrugs]_ Curiousity.

 **Daniel:** _[Sighs]_ No, I've... I've been with only one person, before. A girl. Just her— and then you.

 **Ariel:** There is nothing to be ashamed of. You were great and I feel special, it's a win-win situation.

 **Daniel:** _[Chuckles.]_ Well, how many people have you been with?

 **Ariel:** Are we talking about relationships?

 **Daniel:** Oh my. _[Smiles]_ That already gives me half an answer. Let me be more specific, then. _[He leans in and gives him a teasing, playful kiss on his lips.]_ How many people have you fucked, Ari?

 **Ariel:** _[He looks at him, totally mesmerized. He likes the pet name, he likes how playful Daniel can be.]_ Uh... well, Jules, mostly. And then— I had a very bad case of teenage angst before him. It was mostly rage, fighting and cussing and doing stupid things. But that's when I started with BDSM and there were... _[He clears his throat.]_ A few people, not many, because Jules found me soon, but a few.

 **Daniel:** "A few". _[He smiles, amused. He puts his index fingertip right at the base of Ariel's throat and then lets it slide down between his pecs and his abs, passing in and out his navel, down to his cock.]_ Gimme a number.

 **Ariel:** _[He twitches a little, looking down briefly to follow Daniel's hand.]_ Four or five... alright maybe seven. Not more than ten.

 **Daniel:** The number escalated quickly. _[Chuckles and then reaches right between Ariel's legs, his middle finger finding its way against his opening again. It's slick and still covered in come – no doubt some of his come is still inside him.]_ You should get what you deserve for each one of them.

 **Ariel:** Mh-mh. _[He chuckles.]_ That was before everything and they also don't count.

 **Daniel:** Who decides what counts? _[Chuckles too, and then lets his middle finger slip inside him easily, going deep, hitting his most sensitive spot, even if he knows he's already oversensitive.]_ One... _[And again.]_ Two... _[And again.]_ Three...

 **Ariel:** _[He moans, throwing his leg over Daniel's.]_ What are you doing...? And I decide, it's my ass.

 **Daniel:** You don't get to decide. _[Smirks and leans in, kissing him right underneath his earlobe.]_ You're mine for tonight, remember? You said that. So it's me who decides. _[He thrusts up in him again.]_ Four... Six... Seven... Eight... _[Every number his finger goes up and hits him right there, giving him a shock of pleasure that's as invasive and overcharged as the sex they've just had.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He hides his face in Daniel's neck, clinging onto him and whimpering.]_ ...I was a kid.

 **Daniel:** Changes nothing. _[He thrusts one time with his middle finger.]_ Nine... _[And then, for the last one, he adds a second and third finger at the same time.]_ And ten.

 **Ariel:** _[He screams in pleasure right in his ear.]_ Sorry— Sorry, I think I just came a little.

 **Daniel:** _[He withdraws his fingers and moves his hand up, passing it over Ariel's cock, gathering come and spreading it all over Ariel's stomach. He likes the way it glistens on his skin.]_ You're fucking addictive. _[He presses his face against Ariel's neck and then bites his earlobe.]_ You know that?

 **Ariel:** Uh... _[Smiling.]_ Are we blaming me, now?

 **Daniel:** Yeah. _[Smiles too and kisses him down his neck, slowly and gently.]_ It's all your fault. Shame on you. I couldn't even get you on a proper bed. See what you made me do?

 **Ariel:** _[This time he laughs and rolls on him, giving him a proper kiss.]_ Take me to bed now, then.

 **Daniel:** _[Chuckles and holds him in his arms – he's strong, but it takes him a little effort to actually pull him up from the floor. He props him up on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and spanks him as he walks to the bed.]_ You're demanding.

 **Ariel:** Demanding? Ouch! Me? _[He gropes his ass.]_ Why would you say that?

 **Daniel:** Just a feeling I get. _[Chuckles and throws him down on the bed. He's about to climb on it after him, but he stops with one knee on the mattress.]_ Um.

 **Ariel:** "Um"? I don' like ums... _[He props himself up on his forearms.]_ Why the um?

 **Daniel:** _[He offers him an actually shy smile, scratching the back of his head.]_ I don't want to assume you'll want me to sleep with you. I mean, in the same bed.

 **Ariel:** _[Frowns at him.]_ What part of "I don't like being ignored" and "I need aftercare" didn't you get? I can be clingy sometimes, I wanna be clingy, let me be clingy.

 **Daniel:** _[Chuckles and finishes climbing up on the bed, getting down next to him. The mattress bounces underneath him, it's super soft and it makes him bounce towards him, so that he almost lands on Ariel, and takes the chance to kiss him again, their lips making wet sounds as they meet.]_ Hi.

 **Ariel:** _[He smiles, genuinely happy. Daniel makes him feels things so intensely that it's scary.]_ Hi, stranger.

 **Daniel:** _[He smiles at him, giving him a little peck on his lips and stroking his hair.]_ You wanna take a nap? I'm not sure I'm finished with you, but I can wake you up later.

 **Ariel:** Promise that you'll wake me up.

 **Daniel:** I'll wake you up. _[Nods and kisses him again.]_ I promise.

 **Ariel:** _[He yawns in his face, smiling.]_ Thanks.

 **Daniel:** _[He chuckles for the yawn, and then circles his arms around him, settling down to take a nap too.]_

1 Daniel comes from Terra #99, which is an alternate version of our Earth. As we have seen in previous chapters (with Harry Potter, for example), a few pop culture references differ quite a bit from Daniel’s and Ariel’s world, and this is one of them. The book Daniel is thinking about is Alyse in Nightmareland, which is the twisted version of our Alice in Wonderland. It tells the story of Alyse, a young girl who gets lured into a world of depravation and insanity by a cruel White Rabbit, and it recounts her “adventures” in the terrifying world where she ends up being trapped after that. It is a complex and allegoric metaphor for insanity, a very dark book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WILL HE WAKE HIM UP? WILL HE EVEN STAY?????????
> 
> Written for the second week of episode two of the Explorers challenge @landedifandom.net
> 
> Prompts within are: spirit, shake, forest.


	4. Chapter 3. When you finally think it’s over, there’s more and then even more

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel doesn't keep his word, and leaves Ariel's bedroom without even saying goodbye, sure that they're going to be separated once and for all when they're sent out to explore A'cria on different vessels. He believes it to be better like this: he believes it's better to break things off while none of them is too involved yet, because he knows they cannot last, being Ariel already taken and in search of his Master and being him still not over his past. And yet, destiny has something different in mind for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is gonna be the last chapter for a little while!

_Quand tu crois enfin que tu t'en sors, quand y en a plus et ben y en a encore_

_[Daniel didn’t keep his promise. He didn’t wake Ariel halfway through the night, he didn’t even spend the night by his side. He waited for Ariel to fall asleep, then a few more minutes to make sure he really was sleeping, and then he slipped out of the bed, gathered his clothes and left, knowing full well that Ariel would’ve probably hated him the morning after, and for the rest of his life. It didn’t matter – it had to not matter: other things had to matter more, like trying to do right by Ariel and his relationship, or try and preserve the memory of Beverly for as long as he possibly could. After all, he knows perfectly well this thing with Ariel cannot work on the long distance: Ariel doesn’t love him, and he’s not sure he loves Ariel either. They met and they clashed and they got horny, and that was all there was between them – that must be all there is between them, because Daniel can’t afford for it to be more than that – he could not handle it.]_

**Daniel:** _[He hasn’t had the best couple of days, as of recently, but when he arrives to the docks he's pretty excited. He was happy about staying at the academy, but then what happened with Ariel complicated everything in a way that turned the academy into a prison, almost. He had to move back into his wrecked room, then he feared Ariel would find him there and so, for the last few days of his stay, he shared the room with Ephraim, which was hella awkward, but somehow still safer than the alternative. He got to a point when he actually started feeling desperate about finally embarking on his first mission. The idea of traveling excited him, but most importantly the idea of finally being free from the terror that overtook him every time he roamed the hallways of the school, fearing he would meet Ariel by chance. He is definitely not expecting to see him again, or anymore, at this point. And it feels honestly ugly. But also kind of liberating. No Ariel means things can go back to how they were before. Uncomplicated.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He’s had a few very ugly last days of school too. In fact, probably his worst last days of school, which says something considering that he changed a ridiculous number of schools and leaving them was always worse than arriving because he had no time to make friends and nobody cared if he was leaving. He spent most of the time in his room – the only place where he didn't have to pretend to make conversation – even if it was unpleasant because the room reminded him what he did, what Daniel did, and also what the idiot didn't. The idea of leaving the school is refreshing, but it's also scary as hell because it was all fun and games (sort of) as long as he was studying magic (what?) in this place, but now he's supposed to walk an unknown magical world alone and possibly kill stuff. He's basically leaving on a ship to his death, chance of survival: zero, so that's a little bit upsetting. Anyway, going back home is not an option, so he fixes his bag on his shoulder and he ventures on the dock, trying to understand where he should go, on what ship to board and so on.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He's supposed to board the Chimera, which is an ugly name that, at least, makes the ship identifiable, as the vessel actually has a huge chimera, part lion, part snake, part monkey, part something flying, right as a figurehead. The moment he sees it, his lips open in a tentative smile and he stops, propping his bag up on his shoulder.]_ This is all gonna turn out good. I'm sure of it.

 **Ariel:** _[They gave him a parchment with some information, so he's walking along the dock, reading it and then looking at the ships. He should board a vessel named Chimera, which is a weird name for a transport ship. What if it's a pirate ship? He stops to look at the huge ship in front of him — he had never seen one in real life and he must admit that it is impressive — and he considers the possibility. Real pirates were not funny people, but fantasy pirates... that could be interesting.]_ Alright, here goes nothing...

 **Daniel:** _[He walks forward, his nose pointed up to the figurehead, and therefore he doesn't notice the person who's already trying to board the ship and walking up the plank at the same time. He crashes into the guy, sending him more than a few steps back with just the impetus of his movement, but he gets bounced back a little too.]_ Shit— I'm so— _[And, just like that, he freezes on the spot the moment his eyes focus on the guy and recognize him. It's fucking Ariel.]_

 **Ariel:** _[At first he's confused on what bus just ran him over in a place with no cars, but then he sees him and he tenses.]_ ...Let me guess, you're sorry?

 **Daniel:** _[He swallows heavily. This must be a nightmare. Now he's gonna look down and see he wears no pants, and then the docks are going to morph into his fourth grade class, and he will know he's still asleep. But no— he looks down and his pants are where they're supposed to, and the docks are still the docks, and that is really Ariel. What was even the point of avoiding him for all those days if they had to end up meeting again like this? Is his life mocking him or something?]_ I'm... yeah, actually. _[Clears his throat.]_ I wasn't looking.

 **Ariel:** Or saying goodbye. _[He knows that he's bitter and he should be way above this whole situation — the guy was a one night stand, that Ariel shouldn't even have had! — he shouldn't care about him, but he does because he doesn't like to be ignored, and also for other reasons that he doesn't want to consider now.]_ But I imagine this is not a habit on Terra99.

 **Daniel:** _[He swallows, because that hits dangerously close to home. He fled from home without saying goodbye too, after all.]_ I... _[He clears his throat again and decides to just change the topic. Talking about this isn't going to be of any help for either of them.]_ Yeah. I'm sorry about that too. You're... you're on the Chimera too?

 **Ariel:** _[He nods, looking around annoyedly. It'd be nice if there were some teachers from school, directing the operations, so at least he could ask some information.]_ I would gladly change it, but I don't know if I can or who to ask. They just gave me this piece of paper. _[He shakes the parchment in front of Daniel's nose.]_ And that's it. Go to get yourself killed, come on, like all the others!

 **Daniel:** _[He looks at the paper: yes, it's the same he's holding in his hand too.]_ Aren't you being a little overdramatic? We passed an exam, after all. They say we're ready to travel.

 **Ariel:** I'm not worried about travelling. That I can do. It's the explore-and-kill-the-monsters bit that makes me nervous.

 **Daniel:** _[He looks away, kinda shrugging.]_ We killed monsters already.

 **Ariel:** Uh... _[He tilts his head.]_ We hypnotized a flying horse, we pet a three-headed dog and you were almost burned by a dragon which I pricked with an arrow. Yay us. But yeah, I suppose that we must be ready on some level. _[Shrugs._

 **Daniel:** We defeated that dragon. _[He looks back towards him.]_ And I'm proud of those scars. _[The moment he mentions the scars, details come back to his mind — Ariel spreading pomade on them. Ariel commenting on them. He tries his best not to get lost on those memories.]_

 **Ariel:** _[Those words summoned the same images for him and he feels himself blush a little. If he doesn't find a way to get away from him right now, this is going to be a more awkward trip than that time he got stuck on a train for two hours with his family and his mom had no change for one of his sisters.]_ Right... uh, listen, I don't want to hold you back. God forbid. I'll find another ship with a stupid name...

 **Man calling from the ship:** Hey! Hey, you two. Ashblossom and Winter, correct?

 **Daniel:** Uh— Yes, sir. I'm Daniel Ashblossom, sir.

 **Ariel:** _[He turns to look at the man.]_ And I'm Winter.

 **Man:** Good. I'm captain Jimmy Featherstone and you are both late. _[Taps down with his hand on the plank.]_ Board the ship, now. We're about to leave.

**Ariel:** _[He thinks about asking Featherstone if there's any way he could board any other ship, but the mere idea of approaching the man and then, possibly, someone else, ask to change ship and all that would come with it is tiring. So, he sighs and moves along, boarding the ship. A vessel is big, hundreds of people, it doesn't mean he has to talk with Daniel.]_

**Daniel:** _[A part of him feels relieved when he sees Ariel board the ship. He follows him up the plank, exhaling.]_

 **Featherstone:** Sleeping quarters are below deck. Go settle down. It won't be a long trip, just about a week. I'm not sure what's left in terms of bedding, the ship's pretty overcrowded with goods, but perhaps you'll find some hay to lay down on.

 **Ariel:** _[He'd like to complain, but the moment he opens his mouth to express his annoyance he remembers all the times Julian scolded him for being spoiled, his voice, clear as day, booming in his head: stop whining. So he swallows down any complain and he walks below deck.]_

 **Daniel:** Uh— thank you, Mr.—

 **Featherstone:** Captain. _[Frowns.]_

 **Daniel:** Captain. Of course. Thank you, Captain Featherstone. _[He turns around and follows Ariel. Below deck, the situation's honestly pretty messy. There are some students from the academy, very little, actually, and none he really knows. There are mostly traders with their goods, and a huge number of families, probably settlers heading for the new continent. He quickly scans the grounds and finds a cot that's still free, but another quick look also tells him there are no other cots not already taken. He swallows and holds back on purpose, letting Ariel head towards it.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He reaches the cot and drops his bag on it. Only then he realizes that there's nowhere else to go for Daniel. He could ignore the situation — in fact it's perfect, he's got a cot, Daniel doesn't, he will move somewhere else — but even if he's prone to complain, he's not a bad person.]_ Do you have your bedroll with you?

 **Daniel:** _[He wasn't expecting Ariel to actually talk to him, so he's taken aback by it.]_ Uh?

 **Ariel:** Do you have your bedroll with you? _[He nods towards the floor side of the cot.]_ We can take turns on the cot.

 **Daniel:** _[He looks at the cot and then at Ariel. No, that's not something that can happen. Absolutely not.]_ No, it's— not necessary, really. I'll find someplace else. _[And, without even leaving him any time to answer him, he turns around and walks to a corner of the room. Hard wood and nothing else to sleep upon. This is gonna be quite a trip.]_

*

_[After the first night spent completely awake on the floor, for the second night of the trip Daniel decides he's not even gonna try, and when everybody else goes to bed he goes back above deck. The night is cleared up by the hugest white moon ever, the sky is sprinkled with tiny stars and the deck is quiet, most of the crew asleep while some others keep their posts to man the ship as it surfs the sea, that's flat as a wooden board. Sighing deeply, breathing in the salty sea air, he walks up to the parapet and leans on it. It's super hot below deck, while the air is cool and nice here. If he must stay awake, at least he'll look at something beautiful as he does.]_

**Ariel:** _[Below deck is hot and he knows that very well, because he can't sleep. But if he must be honest, what woke him up was the feeling that Daniel wasn't there, which is extremely weird because he's not used to him enough to have that sixth sense about his presence during sleep. And yet. Probably it's just because Daniel is the only person he knows on the ship, so he is somehow the only one he knows? And he's also the only one he slept with so— anyway, he stands up, leaving his things there, and he unconsciously follows Daniel's steps above deck. When he sees him, his heart skips a beat.]_ So it really is an habit. You wait for me to fall asleep and then you run away.

 **Daniel:** _[He's startled by his voice and he turns to look at him. He doesn't know if it's the night, if it's weariness or if it's just longing, but he finds him so beautiful he wouldn't have words to describe him even if he forced himself to. He swallows and looks back at the sea because that's a safer thing to look at.]_ Yours is to suddenly appear when I'm not expecting you, instead.

 **Ariel:** Hm, that is a nice way to say I'm a bad surprise.

 **Daniel:** _[He doesn't answer right away, but ultimately he says]_ Just a surprise. You've been since that day in the woods.

 **Ariel:** _[He leans against the parapet, right next to him, and looks at the sea.]_ And you don't like surprises.

 **Daniel:** _[He lets out a little bitter laughter.]_ I can't deal with them. That's drastically different. _[He turns towards him, he cannot help it. The outline of his face against the darkness of the sky makes for a mesmerizing, striking contrast that forces him to swallow.]_ You couldn't sleep?

 **Ariel:** Too many people. _[That’s what he says. But, “Not enough you, apparently” is what he thinks.]_

 **Daniel:** You don't like crowded rooms...? _[Arches an eyebrow.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He turns to look at him and sees the eyebrow.]_ What made you think I would?

 **Daniel:** _[Shrugs]_ I don't know. That's just me assuming, I guess. Someone as good-looking as you should feel okay in places where everyone can admire them.

 **Ariel:** _[He looks down at this hand again.]_ Don't do that, Ahsblossom.

 **Daniel:** _[Frowns a little.]_ I'm— I'm not doing anything.

 **Ariel:** Yes, you are. You like to say nice things.

 **Daniel:** ... maybe it's not me who likes it. Maybe you just force them out of my mouth. _[It comes natural to him to say it, and then he sees Ariel's point exactly, and he groans, leaning against the parapet and ruffling his own hair on top of his head in frustration.]_ I don't know why the fuck I'm behaving like this. And I mean right from the start. What I did— not just leaving you there, but— get drunk as I did and telling you those things at the party, just... _[Groans]_ I know I should have never done it. I'm sorry about everything, the whole lot of it.

 **Ariel:** I'm only angry at you because you left without a word and then proceeded to hide from me, don't make me angry at you also because you regret it.

 **Daniel:** We should both regret it, Ari... _[He groans again, refusing to look at him.]_ You weren't mine to take.

 **Ariel:** This has nothing to do with that. You're missing the point entirely.

 **Daniel:** No, I don't think so. _You_ are missing the point. _[He finally turns towards him and faces him, frowning deeply and nervously.]_ I did you a favor, you should've been happy I left, you shouldn't— you shouldn't have followed me up here.

 **Ariel:** You made me— Are you even listening to yourself? What happened between me and you is not something _you_ did on your own and I don't need _you_ to do me any favor, especially if the favor is shagging me and then not even having the guts to face the morning with me. _I_ , unlike you, am well aware of what I did and I can face the consequences of it without you running away to do _me_ a bloody favor. _[Snorts]_ A favor... how full of yourself can you be? And for the records, I didn't follow you anywhere. I just came up here, there's a difference.

 **Daniel:** _[Groans]_ Okay, pretend you didn't come up here because of me. That's fine, really, I don't even— I don't even want you to admit it, but you keep talking about "facing the consequences" when the only consequence of us getting together was that we had to break it up. I couldn't do it, and you couldn't have done it either, so _that’s_ the favor I did you, I made it easier.

 **Ariel:** No, you made it ugly.

 **Daniel:** Only because we met again, if we hadn't it would've been a clean cut. You'd have forgotten everything about me in two minutes and it would've been fine.

 **Ariel:** _[He looks at him, his green eyes sad and full of resentment.]_ You do realize that it has been more than two minutes, right?

 **Daniel:** _[He holds his eyes for a few seconds and then he clicks his tongue, looking away.]_ Jesus, don't look at me like that. You're making this impossible.

 **Ariel:** _[He doesn't know exactly what he's doing or what he wants, if closure or something else, but it's clear that whatever it is he won't get it.]_ Fine. _[He pushes himself away from the parapet.]_ I got it. I'm going.

 **Daniel:** _[The moment Ariel moves away, it seems like a force that he cannot control takes over his body and makes him reach out for him. He wraps his fingers around Ariel's wrist and keeps him still.]_ No— _[He says weakly.]_ Wait.

 **Ariel:** _[He looks down at his hand touching him and then up at him.]_ What?

 **Daniel:** _[He swallows, looking at him. The hold of his fingers loosens up a little, but he doesn't let him go. He lets his thumb run in little circles on his inner wrist, though.]_ I... I don't know. I just saw you leave and I couldn't fucking bear it.

 **Ariel:** _[This makes him a little mellow and he doesn't point out that Daniel literally just told him they need to stay away from each other. But he sounds tired when he speaks.]_ If you need to sleep on the floor, can you at least do it next to me?

 **Daniel:** _[He feels like there's a violin cord passing through his body, head to toes, and when Ariel says those words that cord just tenses so much it's painful. He tugs him closer to himself and wraps his arms around him, squeezing him tight.]_ It'd complicate things.

 **Ariel:** _[He rests his face on his shoulder.]_ And this doesn't?

 **Daniel:** Yes. As a matter of fact, I'm regretting it already. _[He exhales and hugs him closer, his left hand running down Ariel's spine.]_ I'm acting like a madman. What the hell did you do to me?

 **Ariel:** You either make me the innocent one you must protect, or you blame it all on me. _[Snorts]_ Make up your mind.

 **Daniel:** I can't. _[He groans and his hand is about to move too low, but he stops it— he just clings to him. He moves back a little, though, which proves to be a stupid move, because now they're face to face, staring into each other eyes, and the knowledge of the fact that he fell in love with this boy deflagrates into his mind, and it's terrible, earth-shattering. He can't even start to confront the notion. It just blinds him to anything else for a little while, and he can't do anything but contemplate him and, in him, the disaster that's coming his way for sure.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He feels the pull towards Daniel, he feels Daniel's desire and his own. He knows that if he only took a step forward, it'd happen again. But they shouldn't, and he most of all shouldn't want it. This is so bloody confusing.]_ We can't stay apart on a ship. That'd be silly.

 **Daniel:** ... and what about after we dock? _[He swallows. Part of him dreads the idea of separating from him, while the other part knows perfectly well that that's what they should do, as long as Ariel at least hasn't fallen for him too, as long as it can still be painless for at least one of them.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He looks at him.]_ It's a dangerous place. They say not to go alone.

 **Daniel:** _[He squeezes him tight, for a moment much too close to his own body. He's close enough that Ariel can feel his shaky breaths on his face.]_ Every place where you're going to be with me is going to be a dangerous place for different reasons.

 **Ariel:** _[He speaks inches from his lips.]_ I'm gonna take my chances.

**Daniel:** _[To which he just can't take it anymore. There's only so much that can be asked of a boy, especially a boy who just realized he fell for another boy, and holding back in front of this is not askable at all - and who know if askable is even a real word, he isn't thinking coherently any longer. He pushes Ariel against the parapet, hiding him out from whatever curious eye might be out there, and traps him between his arms, pressing his lips against his and kissing him hungrily, moving into him hard enough to make the wood of the ship creak and whine.]_

**Ariel:** _[He moans, releasing the breath he's clearly been holding until now]_ ...Can we pretend this is okay for a while?

 **Daniel:** _[He shakes his head resolutely, and he should stop kissing him, but he isn't stopping.]_ We can't. We've— You've gotta get back below deck. _[Bites at Ariel's bottom lip, hard.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He hisses, but nods several times.]_ I will… I will. In a moment.

 **Daniel:** _[He lets go of his lip and kisses him again, hard and heavy, and he feels his own hands get a tight grip around the wood, and he knows he's about to do something idiotic, so he begs his body not to, but his body doesn't fucking care, and it just grinds up against Ariel's, and he exhales.]_ Fuck, I want you so much. _[He spits it out in just one breath.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He kisses him soothingly on his cheek and jaw.]_ ...You said I'm not yours to take.

 **Daniel:** _[And that is true. That is so damn true. He knows in his heart that he can't just travel the multiverse and do damage wherever he lands. He damaged everyone enough back home. He can't do the same to Ariel too. So, unwillingly, he tears himself away from him and stops kissing him. He also stops looking at him.]_ Here's what we're going to do. _[And he sounds hard and steady in his resolution as he speaks. But that's only because he's not looking at him.]_ I'm going to keep sleeping in my corner. And I won't touch you, ever again. But we'll travel together. We'll just be friends. We'll get over this. We can do it.

 **Ariel:** _[Of course he knows Daniel is right. Actually, Ariel should have been the one saying that because he's the one who's taken. But this is still disappointing. And he can't help feeling sad. He looks down, saying nothing.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He's got his hands wrapped tightly around the side of the ship, his nails almost sinking in. He waits for Ariel to just leave, but he doesn't, and after a little while he just loses it.]_ Go!

**Ariel:** _[He's startled and he jumps visibly, but he's quick to push himself away from the parapet, looking down and wrapping his arms around himself.]_

**Daniel:** _[He waits for Ariel to leave, keeping as still as he possibly can. Then, when he's gone, he just kicks the parapet.]_ Fuck... _[And he bends over it. He's not gonna get any sleep tonight.]_

*

_[The sail lasts a few more days, during which there’s no contact between Daniel and Arial. There’s no kissing and no touching and no sleeping close. Daniel doesn’t handle it well – seeing Ariel around all the time and being unable to get close to him, touch him, kiss him, proves to be harder than expected. The efforts he has to put into just keeping himself away from the boy is so extreme he’s constantly on edge, always grumpy, always jumpy, always nervous. A couple of times, when Ariel, accidentally or not, found himself too close to him, he reacted angrily, straightforwardly telling him to just leave him alone. Ariel was hurt by it – it was obvious in his eyes, painfully clear on his face. He complied. Daniel didn’t feel any better._

_At the end of their crossing, they arrive to A'cria, the previously lost and recently resurfaced continent they’ve been sent to explore, and they find a harbor, a couple streets and very little more. It's lively, though, construction sites everywhere, many people settling down, people who have stalls in the market even before they have a fully furnished home._

_It's a nice place but Daniel doesn't want to be here. There's nothing to explore for an explorer in a work in progress village. He needs to distract himself, and only his job can do it. So, when they have to choose between spending the night in a tavern, to sleep in a real bed, and just move to the woods right away, he chooses the latter. They just load some food, weapons and medications in their bags, and then he turns towards Ariel.]_

**Daniel:** Are you ready?

 **Ariel:** _[He stopped talking to him after the second time Daniel told him to go away. Now, he just responds with two-syllables words and that's it. He can pass over a lot of things, but he hates this kind of attitude. He never asked to be saved, he never asked to be kept faithful to his Master, so Daniel bitching and then "sending him away ‘cause otherwise who knows what could happen" just makes him furious.]_ Yeah.

 **Daniel:** Good. _[There's tension between them and he doesn't like it. But it's safer like this. At least, when they're tense and Ariel's being unpleasant and curt on purpose, Daniel doesn't want to push him down on all fours and mount him like a wild dog. It's good enough. He settles his backpack upon his shoulders so that the straps don't dig into his muscles, and he heads towards the barrier that's still half-being built up by the settlers. The person at the gate asks them for their names in case they never make it back from the woods, and even though he sees no point in giving their information to the man, as no one they know would ever come here to ask about them, that's still better than arguing with him, it's easier. So he does it, and then he makes his way into the woods, looking around to try and get an idea of the place.]_

 **Ariel:** _[The idea that he could not come back is upsetting. For a moment, as he tells the man his name, which he gets wrong three times, he thinks about how his family would react if they knew he was dead, and none of the options cheers him up at all. He doesn't exactly have the perfect family, but they all love each other and the idea of them in pain doesn't make him feel more comfortable at the idea of dying. He sighs, holding the straps of his bag and he follows Daniel.]_

 **Daniel:** _[The forest looks good in the orange light of the sunset. It looks also pretty quiet – perhaps people exaggerate, and there's not much to be afraid of around here. There are some creatures moving in the trees, he can hear them and when he can't hear them he can sense them, but nothing attacks them. They spend a couple hours roaming around the place, and then he finds a nice clearing, even terrain, the woods around are not too thick, pretty close to a very nice spring the sound of which can be heard all around. It's not the safest of spots, it's exposed and too close to water not to be a good place for other creatures to dwell, but it'll be easy to put up camp here, and so he stops.]_ This looks good. What do you say?

 **Ariel:** _[He has never gone camping once in his life, so he has no clue. So, he shrugs.]_ Whatever. _[He drops the bag on the grass and takes out the parts of the tent that Daniel entrusted to him.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He looks at him sideways as he does the same, retrieving all that he needs.]_ You could be a little less of a pain in the ass.

 **Ariel:** You started this, so now you bear with it.

 **Daniel:** Sure... _[He groans, setting down the bottom of the tent, spreading it out so that it doesn't wrinkle.]_ What were you even— How were you expecting things to go?

 **Ariel:** I don't know, Daniel. You were the one who said we were gonna be friends, and then started acting like an asshole. I'm just responding accordingly.

 **Daniel:** I wasn't acting like an asshole. _[He frowns and leans down, setting the pegs into the ground.]_ Hammer. _[Extends his hand.]_

 **Ariel:** _[Yes, he thinks, I should hit you in the head with it.]_ Right! Get out of my face, Ariel. That's really nice to hear. _[He grabs the hammer and hands it to him.]_

 **Daniel:** It wasn't nice but it was necessary. _[He doesn't look at him and he starts hammering those pegs into the ground with such exaggerated violence it's almost worrying.]_

 **Ariel:** Ah, I forgot how you always know what's necessary and, most of all, to whom.

 **Daniel:** But I do, though, don't I? _[He casts him a sharp look for a second, then stands up and walks to the other side of the tent to keep fixing it to the ground.]_

 **Ariel:** No, you don't! You just love to play the paladin.

Daniel: Yeah, sure, cos I'm just _loving_ what's been going on these last few days. I'm enjoying it so much. _[Grunts and stands up again, moving around to gather the sticks he needs to build the structure of the tent.]_

 **Ariel:** _Nothing_ of what went down on these last few days would have ever happened if you hadn't acted like an asshole! _[He grabs the sticks and gives them to him aggressively.]_ Do you need a hand with those?!

 **Daniel:** Don't yell! Jesus, are you out of your mind? We're not alone in the woods. _[He grabs the sticks and starts screwing them up together, forming two long lines.]_ Just... help me put these through those loops in the fabric there...

 **Ariel:** They can eat me for all I care right now... _[He starts passing the sticks through the loops.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He turns to look at him sternly.]_ Don't say that.

**Ariel:** _[He looks back at him but he can't stand his gaze, so he looks back down, but he doesn't say anything.]_

**Daniel:** _[He sighs, annoyed and tense. It's not that he doesn't know he's not on his best behavior. But he would expect Ariel to understand. But no, Ariel is not thinking, he just likes to be angry at him because he's taking responsibility and he's taking it upon himself to make sure nothing wrong happens between them again. That's so upsetting. Groaning, he settles the bars, crossing them in the middle, helping the tent stand up. Then he passes them through the loops around the pegs, to fix them. Now the tent is almost ready.]_ We should make this more comfortable for the night.

 **Ariel:** _[He looks at the tent and sighs.]_ We can use the bedrolls.

 **Daniel:** We also need some dead leaves. They can be a good barrier between the bedrolls and the floor of the tent. Grass will help but it's not enough. I'll... I'll go gather some. Can you start the fire in the meantime? Do you know how to?

 **Ariel:** Why don't I go get the leaves and you start a fire? I only know how to do that with a lighter.

 **Daniel:** _[He actually looks at him rising an eyebrow.]_ Seriously? You've never gone camping?

 **Ariel:** Nope. _[He shakes his head.]_ I don't have that kind of dad.

 **Daniel:** Well, I had no dad. That didn't stop me.

 **Ariel:** I didn't see the point of going in the woods alone. _[He shrugs, but then he shows his bow.]_ I can catch dinner, though.

 **Daniel:** I wasn't alone. _[He frowns. Ariel is weird, sometimes.]_ I went with friends. But... anyway. Yeah, you go. Will some squirrel into becoming our dinner with that precious necklace of yours. _[Then he turns away and starts gathering rocks to create a safe space for the fire.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He shakes his head and walks away. Daniel takes for granted a lot of things about him, just because they happen to him. It's interesting because he acts all mysterious, all "you cannot understand my past", but then he speaks of a pretty normal life, of friends to go camping with, for example. He just assumes Ariel had them too. He walks in the forest, trying to follow a straight path so he won't get lost. And as he walks, he collects leaves. Now, he never properly hunted, but he's good with the bow, so if he finds an animal, he's pretty sure he can kill it, which is okay — even if he's mostly vegetarian — because this is survival. No place for any other discourse here.]_

 **Daniel:** _[The moment he's alone, he exhales, letting go of some of the tension that's been building up inside him.]_ Man, this is getting too hard... _[Sighs and walks around, gathering a couple dry logs and as many sticks as he can. He takes all the leaves off them, makes sure they're not moldy or musky, and then puts them down in the circle, the bigger ones at the bottom, the lighter ones on the top. Then he kneels next to them and takes out his flint to spark the fire on.]_

 **Ariel:** _[Daniel asked for squirrels, but it's actually a rabbit that shows up first. It is not very big, but it's chubby and, also, he stops right in the middle of the path, sniffing the air. Ariel grabs the bow behind his back as slow as he can and he aims at the little thing that's still a few feet from him.]_ I am very sorry, little fella. _[And then he just releases the arrow.]_

 **Daniel:** _[It doesn't take him much to start the fire, which is good, because as nighttime falls there's a chill in the air and they're not dressed for it. They'll have to buy a couple coats, comes winter. He sighs and sits in front of the fire. Last time he camped he was with Beverly. They were fourteen, trying to run away. It was a disaster. Granny called the police, they found them after three days. Beverly was beyond herself because she thought they should've tried to outrun the police while he surrendered as soon as he saw them arrive. She didn't speak to him for three days — then she slipped into his bed and cried for an hour. He still remembers the taste of her tears on his tongue, and the taste of her when he licked her until she almost collapsed later that night.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He takes out the arrow from the rabbit, which is luckily dead. He knows he would have never had the strength to finish it. He cleans the arrow and puts it back in the quiver. If Darryl does it all the time during a zombie apocalypse, he can do it too. He grabs the rabbit and keeps walking. He finds more leaves, but no more animals, so at some point he decides to go back because it's starting to get dark. He shows up 45 minutes after he left and drops the bag with the leaves inside.]_ The bed... _[He drops the rabbit.]_ And dinner too. I have no idea how to clean it.

 **Daniel:** _[When he looks up at him, there's something different in his eyes. He looks somehow a little weaker, a little less determined and a little more distracted.]_ Ah... yeah, I can do that. _[He grabs the rabbit by its ears, kind of carelessly, and walks over to a flat rock. He sets it down there and takes out his knife. Then he sticks it into the rabbit's chest and slides it down, tearing its belly open.]_ Can you get me something to put his entrails in?

 **Ariel:** _[He makes a face and looks away.]_ Can't you just... I don't know, throw them away? _[But he's already looking for a bowl in their bags.]_

 **Daniel:** Yes, but we need to throw them away far from here, or some wild animal might smell them and come here. That wouldn't be good. You could throw them in the water, that would solve the problem.

 **Ariel:** _[He brings him the bowl.]_ I... think I can do that.

 **Daniel:** Good. _[He literally pours all the insides of the rabbit in the bowl, cutting them out of its body when they resist.]_ Wash the bowl before bringing it back. We need to keep the blood smell at a minimum if we want to be safe.

 **Ariel:** Oh shit, this is so gross... _[He takes the bowl away, keeping it a great distance from himself.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He can't help but chuckle a little.]_ My sister hated it when I gutted animals.

 **Ariel:** It is a hateful thing, Daniel. _[He gets to the river, which is close enough that they can hear each other even if he's out of sight.]_ It's gross and savage and—- oh my God, stinky. _[He throws the entrails as far away as possible in the water.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He doesn't know what he was expecting would happen after he mentioned his sister. Maybe he thought the sky would fall or Ariel would notice something. But nothing happened. He just spoke about her and absolutely nothing happened.]_ ... I don't mind it. _[Clears his throat.]_ I find it honest. If you're gonna eat the thing, you owe it the respect to at least get your hands dirty with its blood.

 **Ariel:** Ah, that's it. Maybe it's because I usually don't eat them. _[He washes the bowl thoroughly.]_ So I save myself the bit where I have to be respectful. It's easier.

 **Daniel:** Makes sort of sense, I guess. At least now I know why you're so skinny. I mean, not that you look sickly or anything, but you're pretty lithe to be a bowman.

 **Ariel:** That was the target body type that was asked of me. _[He brings back the bowl, shaking it to dry it.]_ I am way more lazy by nature.

 **Daniel:** _[Right, of course his Master had to have something to do with it. He falls silent as he skins the rabbit – he does a pretty clean job, too. He severs the paws and the head of the thing and only then he calls Ariel again.]_ We've gotta get rid of these too.

 **Ariel:** _[He lets him put everything in the bowl.]_ And here I go to the river again...

 **Daniel:** _[Gives in to a small smile.]_ Don't fall in. _[Then he stands up and walks to the fire, which is now happily crackling in its pit. He finds a stick long enough and he sharpens the edges to make a roasting spit out of it, then he passes the rabbit through and through with it and suspends him on top of the fire, turning it around slowly to get it cooked.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He throws everything in the river, rinses and repeats. He's quicker to come back this time.]_ So, who taught you all this stuff?

 **Daniel:** My grandfather. _[Smiles.]_ He was a huntsman. Used to take me with him when he hunted, up until I was thirteen or something, before he passed.

 **Ariel:** Oh, that's a nice thing. _[He sits down on the other side of the pit across him.]_ Mine's a dentist. _[He can't help but smirk.]_ Yeah, I know, in England. What a weirdo!

 **Daniel:** _[He actually laughs. Many things in his reality are different than they are in Ariel’s, but apparently UK teeth aren't.]_ Do you have any nice memory with him?

 **Ariel:** We didn't go hunting, but we used to take long walks. I was a... _[He seems to search for the right words.]_ A really restless kid, when I was younger, and an extremely anxious one later on. And when he saw that I couldn't bear my house or the place I was in any longer, he would stand up and say _[imitating his grandfather's Welsh accent]_ Come on, Ariel, I need to stretch my knees. So I would go with him and we would walk in silence, for like, an hour, and then we would sit down and he would say "Are you calmer now?", and I would go "Yes", "Something You want to talk about?", and sometimes I said yes, and I would talk and he would find me a solution to whatever problem I had. Sometimes I didn't need to, though, the walk was enough.

 **Daniel:** _[He smiles warmly as he keeps roasting the rabbit.]_ He sounds like a nice man. Wise one, too. _[He clears his throat and looks away for a second, then back at him.]_ You didn't like it at home?

 **Ariel:** _[He shrugs.]_ It's not a bad home, nothing like that. Mom and dad are not perfect, but they are good parents and we definitely don't have any money problems. I think it's just the way I am. I was a restless kid and I'm... anxious now. _[He chuckles, looking down.]_ My dad's job doesn't help with this either.

 **Daniel:** _[He listens attentively to him.]_ What's your dad's job?

 **Ariel:** He's a diplomat. The British Consul in Italy.

 **Daniel:** Oh. Wow. _[Blinks]_ So you're basically royalty.

 **Ariel:** _[Chuckles, throwing his head back a little.]_ Basically, yes.

 **Daniel:** _[Grins]_ I see why you have that attitude, now.

 **Ariel:** _[Frowns, confused.]_ What attitude?

 **Daniel:** The way you get all outraged and annoyed when people don't respond the way you wanted them to. _[Chuckles]_ Well, when _I_ don't respond the way you want to, at least. _[He throws him a playful glance — being at a distance makes it safe enough — and turns the rabbit to the other side.]_

 **Ariel:** I get outraged at you because you're impossibly annoying, and nothing else.

 **Daniel:** Hm, okay. _[He keeps smiling, and he checks on the rabbit.]_ It looks ready. Come over here, we'll share.

 **Ariel:** _[He goes to sit next to him.]_ How long can I stay this time?

 **Daniel:** _[Grins a little.]_ You're surprisingly punitive for a sub.

 **Ariel:** That's what happens when you're not Dom enough.

 **Daniel:** Well, I never wanted to be one, so that's to be expected, I guess. _[dryly]_

 **Ariel:** _[He looks down, instantly quieter. He never knows how far he can push the joke with him without him getting nasty.]_ Right.

 **Daniel:** _[Dammit... he really hates himself when he just slams him like that. What is he, a psychopath? Why the fuck can't he handle his own emotions?! It makes no fucking sense.]_... here, you can... _[He offers him the rabbit on the stick.]_ It should still be pretty juicy, despite the roasting.

 **Ariel:** _[He grabs it. It's been ages since the last time he ate meats, and the first bite tastes weird, but it quickly turns very good.]_ It's not bad.

 **Daniel:** "Not bad", that's all? _[Arches an eyebrow.]_

 **Ariel:** Well, no, it's... I mean, it's good. I wasn't expecting it to be... actually tasty.

 **Daniel:** _[He chuckles, and then notices there's some meat juice dripping down the corner of Ariel's mouth.]_ Wait... _[He gathers the droplet with the back of his finger.]_

 **Ariel:** Ah, thanks. _[He smiles, turning to him, pointing at himself.]_ Very messy eater. _[And then he stops moving, and talking, and also breathing, for a second, because Daniel is touching him.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He swallows, and for a second he doesn't know what to do with himself. They're so close. He can smell him, despite the heavy smell of meat. This is breaking him. He takes a breath and shoves the finger in his own mouth, hoping for a second he will taste him— but no, that's just rabbit.]_ Don't— Don't worry. I got you covered.

 **Ariel:** _[He looks down at his hands, a little sad smile on his lips.]_ You're killing me.

 **Daniel:** _[Groans a little.]_ I'm not doing it intentionally... _[Sighs and turns back towards him, aiming for the rabbit.]_ Hold it for me, I'm hungry. Let me take a bite.

 **Ariel:** _[He offers him the stick.]_ But you do, and it's... It's frustrating.

 **Daniel:** _[He leans into him and takes a bite at the rabbit. It tastes amazing, crispy and juicy and he could wolf it down hadn't he had to share it with Ariel.]_ Maybe you're just oversensitive to my charms and I'm just here being normal doing absolutely nothing. _[He sees some juice dripping down Ariel's fingers and he leans in to lick them.]_ You're making a mess, Ari...

 **Ariel:** _[This is unfair. Daniel is not teasing anymore. He's torturing him. He's playing with him, knowing very well this won't go anywhere. He pushes the stick in his hands and lets it go.]_ ... Stop it.

 **Daniel:** Hey— [He grabs the stick before it can fall on the ground.] Jesus. Be careful. That wasn't— _[But then he stops, because he remembers when it was that he used to lick food off someone else's fingers. When he used to play, when he used to tease. It was with Bev, and it was never innocent.]_ ... I'm sorry. _[Clears his throat and gives him back the stick.]_ Here, you can finish it. I'm tired. I better get to sleep. Don't worry about the fire, it'll put itself out. _[He turns around and marches towards the tent, where he disappears.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He marches in the opposite direction, towards the river to throw away the food, but by the time he gets there, he already ate it, and all he has to throw out in frustration while he screams is the stick.]_

 **Daniel:** _[He hears it, but he doesn't know what the fuck to do about it. This is going to be tragic— the mere idea that Ariel's about to come into this tent is nightmarish. He tries to center himself as much as he can, and he turns on his side, facing the wall of the tent, closing his eyes stubbornly, in hopes that he'll be already asleep when Ariel comes.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He doesn't even know why he's so angry, if it's because he wants Daniel or because Daniel doesn't bloody take him. He wonders if he can sleep outside the tent, but after 10 minutes it's so cold that his teeth start clicking. So he sighs and he slides into the tent.]_

 **Daniel:** _[Obviously, he isn't sleeping. He senses the change in the air the moment Ariel walks in, and it takes all that he has to not just turn around and look at him. He tries to keep his breathing as even and deep as possible. Maybe Ariel will think him asleep and nothing bad will happen.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He knows he's awake. He can feel it, it's just another of those weird feelings he has about him. As if he had known him forever. He lies down, staring at the ceiling of the tent.]_ This isn’t working, is it?

 **Daniel:** _[He exhales deeply, relaxing slightly, but he still doesn't look at him.]_ It's a fucking train wreck. I don't know how to do this. I've only wanted one person in my life, and I could have her. I had her all the time, literally. Now I want you like I need to breathe, and I can't even touch you.

 **Ariel:** _[He stays quiet for a while, wondering if he should say what he thinks, and then he just says it]_ ... I never really stopped you.

 **Daniel:** _[Groans and turns around, facing him with a frustrated expression.]_ How can you not see that that is part of the problem?! You're with someone else! Someone you love!

 **Ariel:** I know. I didn't say I'm on my best behavior.

 **Daniel:** So what, are you allowed to be on your worst behavior? And me? Do I get to be on my worst behavior too? And what if I do? We keep going and I drag this out and then eventually you find him and... _[He bites at his bottom lip, can't bring himself to go on.]_

 **Ariel:** _If_ I find him! _If_ he hasn't left me or he's dead! I don't know where the fuck he is! Meanwhile, I've known you for a few weeks and I want you as if my life depended on it. It's not normal, I usually _don’t want_ other people!

 **Daniel:** You just want me because you're alone! If you had him with you, would you even look twice at me? I don't think so.

 **Ariel:** Is that what you think? That I'm just desperate? That anybody would do?

 **Daniel:** No, I... I don't know! _[Groans and lets himself go on his back, spreading his arms and legs and taking as much space as he possibly can. He groans again in frustration.]_ Why is it that everything off my mouth you take it as a personal attack?!

 **Ariel:** Because that is how you sound, like you're attacking me!

 **Daniel:** _[Raises his head and looks at him, shocked.]_ I'm not attacking you, I'm trying to fucking protect you!

 **Ariel:** _[He looks back at him, annoyed.]_ From _whom_?!

 **Daniel:** _[Screaming in his face.]_ From _me_!

 **Ariel:** Oh, please, just stop it already! I have never asked you to protect me anyway!

 **Daniel:** Ah, so if you don't ask for it then it's not necessary?! So I can— I can do whatever I want, then, is that what you're saying?! I can just have it my way and fuck the rest?!

 **Ariel:** _[He's completely out of control at this point, he doesn't even know what he's saying anymore. He just wants Daniel to drop the act and just let himself go because, clearly, that's the only way.]_ Yes!

 **Daniel:** Then fuck it! _[He just launches himself at him, pinning him down against the bedroll, his mouth crashing against Ariel's violently, biting more than kissing.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He welcomes him in his arms as best as he can, even if it's not easy, as he moans against his lips.]_ Mhn... wait, shit...

 **Daniel:** No. _[He pulls himself up and then drops himself down on him, literally crashing him into the bedding, making him part his legs so that he can fall in between them. Once there, he grinds down on him, cursing under his breath, just a second before repeating something he already said to him once before.]_ Do I feel like someone who can fucking wait?

 **Ariel:** _[He whines, but it's a short-lived whine that turns into a moan.]_ ...No.

 **Daniel:** Then don't ask me. _[He pants against Ariel's lips, as the kiss slows down but becomes more demanding, forcing Ariel's lips apart.]_ Fuck, you taste so good... you feel fucking amazing, I... I want to fucking ravish you...

 **Ariel:** _[He can feel him holding back, the promise of all his wanting if he only Daniel unleashed it, and he shivers.]_ Do it...

 **Daniel:** _[His voice almost breaks.]_ We're gonna regret this, Ari. _[But he kisses him at the corner of his mouth and then moves down, down, leaving a wet trail down his neck, sucking at his pulse point and then licking the mark he just left underneath his collar.]_

 **Ariel:** _[He loses his fingers in Daniel's hair, pushing his head against his neck.]_ Regret is a form of punishment...

 **Daniel:** _[And nobody can understand that better than him. He raises his head and looks down at Ariel and there's no denying that he wants him desperately. He hasn't wanted anyone since Beverly, not like this, and his body misses it. He knew right from the start that that one time would've never be enough. Now it's either he gives in or he's going to lose his mind. And he can't take this anymore, this is much more suffering than he was ever prepared to endure again. So he swiftly takes his t-shirt off, and then he brings it down to Ariel's wrists.]_ I'm gonna tie you down. _[He leans in and licks him hungrily up his neck and at the corner of his mouth.]_ I'm gonna make you take me on my terms, my time. My pace. You won't even touch yourself.

 **Ariel:** _[His heart starts racing. He was prepared not to bring his needs into this because it seemed too much to ask of him. Instead, Daniel remembered. Instead, he sounds so good, explaining to him what he's going to do. He looks at Daniel and nods, offering him his hands.]_

_[And Daniel’s about to give in and surrender to his hunger. They both are._

_But a flash of light overwhelms them, breaking the night, scattering it in ashes all around them. And then there’s fire. And then there’s thunder._

_And then there’s pain._

_And then there’s nothing.]_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger.
> 
> Written for the last week of this episode of the Explorers challenge @ landedifandom.net  
> Prompt was [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHoT4N43jK8) by Stromae, which also incidentally gives it its title.


End file.
